in- 


GF  PRI^/Cf?^ 
JAN   27  1978 


BX  8419   .J66  A3  1909 
Jones,  Burton  Rensselaer, 

1845-1933. 
Incidents  in  the  life  and 


^^^^^  ^^J^C^:Z<^-X>^ 


I N  C I D  E  N  T»'^' 

'AN  r>r  1978 

IN  THE  \     ^  . 

LIFE  and  LABORS 


OF 


BURTON  RENSSELAER  JONES 


MINISTER  OF  THE  GOSPEL 


WITH 


EXTRACTS  FROM  HIS  DIARY 


Chicago 

Free  Methodist  Publishing  House 
1909 


1 

I 


I 


PREFATORY  NOTE 


It  is  sometimes  profitable  to  look  over  the  past 
and  note  the  various  prcwidences  that  have  directed 
our  course.  Standing  where  I  now  stand,  I  can 
readily  see  the  divine  hand  iii  controlling  the  events 
of  life  that  have  had  such  a  powerful  influence  in 
forming  my  character.  From  the  view-point  of  over 
three-score  years  I  am  satisfied  that  the  life  fully 
devoted  to  God  is  the  happiest  and  most  satisfac- 
tory life  known  to  mankind. 

He  is  wise  who  has  learned  to  love  and  to  trust 
God  implicitly.  In  solving  life's  problems  I  have 
ever  felt  the  need  of  wisdom,  courage,  patience  and 
cheerfulness.  In  the  possession  of  soul  rest,  the 
value  of  which  cannot  be  estimated  by  material 
wealth,  I  have  been  enabled  to  commit  such  per- 
plexities as  surpassed  my  solving  into  the  hands 
of  God,  and  He  has  unraveled  many  a  tangled 
skein  and  enabled  me  to  overcome  many  an  ob- 
stacle which  to  all  human  appearance  seemed  in- 
surmountable. Everything  that  threatened  to  in- 
terfere with  my  devotion  to  God  I  have  sought  to 
thrust  aside,  thus  being  enabled  to  meet  duty  more 
effectively  and  resist  temptation  more  successfully. 

It  has  been  my  aim  to  meet  the  difficulties  of  the 
itineracy  in  a  spirit  and  manner  calculated  to  con 
tribute  most  to  the  spread  of  the  gospel  of  Christ. 
I  have  ever  sought  to  humbly  and  faithfully  do  the 


iv 


INTRODUCTORY  NOTE 


work  the  Master  assigned  to  me,  never  having  al- 
lowed worldly  ambitions  to  divert  my  mind  from 
the  work  of  the  ministry.  To  succeed  in  that  spe- 
cial calling  has  been  the  ambition  of  my  life.  T 
have  not  always  known  what  was  best  for  me,  but 
I  have  sought  to  know  the  will  of  God  in  every 
providence,  and  by  faith  to  learn  His  benevolent 
design  in  every  chastening.  Oftentimes  "earth  is 
embittered  to  us  that  heaven  may  be  endeared." 
The  time  of  ''sowing  in  tears"  has  sometimes  been 
testing,  but  the  time  of  ''reaping  in  joy''  has  always 
been  inspiring.  To  see  souls  saved  and  the  church 
built  up  has  ever  given  me  the  greatest  satisfaction. 

But  the  larger  part  of  my  life  is  passed.  How 
swiftly  the  years  have  flown.  I  can  now  see  the 
wisdom  of  having  chosen  to  share  hardships  with 
God's  people  rather  than  to  have  had  the  "short 
lived  enjoyment  of  the  sinful  life."  While  life  still 
holds  much  that  is  dear  to  me,  my  abiding  home  is 
beyond  the  skies. 

The  preparation  of  this  narrative  has  afforded 
me  a  degree  of  pleasure;  and  realizing  that  the  care- 
ful reader  can  find  interesting  incidents  even  in  the 
most  obscure  life,  it  is  sent  forth  with  the  prayer 
that  those  who  peruse  its  pages  may  be  inspired 
with  increased  determination  to  live  for  God  alone. 

B.  R.  J. 

Jackson,  Michigan,  June  15,  1909, 


CONTENTS 


Chapteb  I :  Birth.  Parentage.  Early  Life.  Re- 
vival at  Greigsville,  New  York,  held  hy  W.  C. 
Kendall.  Parents  Converted.  Bergen  Camp- 
meeting   

Chapter  II :  Early  Recollections  of  Political  Contro- 
versies. The  Civil  War.  President  Lincoln  Shot... 

Chapter  III:  Western  New  York  Seat  of  Moral 
Conflict.  Account  by  S.  K.  J.  Chesbro.  Roberts 
and  Others  Expelled  from  Methodist  Episcopal 
Church.  Free  Methodist  Church  Organized.  B. 
T.  Roberts  First  General  Superintendent.  Gene- 
see Conference  Formed  

Chapter  IV :  Mission  of  New  Church.  Extended 
into  Illinois  and  Michigan.  Death  of  Kendall, 
Stiles,  Redfield,  Heavy  Blow  to  New  Church. 
Free  Methodist  Society  at  Greigsville.  My  Par- 
ents United.  Sweeping  Revival.  J.  A.  Wilson, 
G.  W.  Coleman,  W.  B.  Pattridge,  Principal 
Workers.  In  School  at  Geneseo.  My  Conversion. 
Wholly  Sanctified.  Teacher  in  Public  School. 
Opened  by  Prayer  

Chapter  V :  Call  to  Preach.  First  Sermon.  Special 
Meeting  at  Bethany.  Wyoming  Camp-meeting. 
My  Brother  Frank  Converted.  Called  to  Enter 
the  Itineracy.    Firi?t  Copy  Free  Methodist  

Chapter  VI :  The  Open  Door.  My  First  Circuit. 
W.  D.  Bishop,  Pastor.  Warmly  Received.  Home 
at  D.  W.  Tinkham's.  Associated  with  Noble  Men 
in  Michigan  Conference.  Circuit  Inclucled  Cold- 
vater.  North  and  South  Quincy,  Sherwood  and 
Eckford.  Homesick.  Frogs.  Revivals  at  Sher- 
wood and  Eckford.   Brother  Bishop  Resigns.... 


vi 


CONTEXTS 


Chaptee  VII :  1868.  Annual  Conference  at  "White 
Church."  Joined  Conference.  Read  off  for 
"Raisinvllle  Circuit."  Headquarters  at  Atkin- 
son Residence.  ,  Revival  on  the  "Macon."  C.  F. 
Irish  Saved.  New  Church.  Dedicatory  sermon 
by  J.  Travis,  1869.  Conference  at  Mooreville. 
Returned  to  Raisinville  Circuit.  Married.  Re- 
vival at  Milan  

Chapter  VIII:  1870.  Conference  at  Holland,  Ohio. 
Ordained  Deacon.  Appointed  to  Mansfield  and 
Windsor.  Tobacco  Rule.  Revival  at  Brush  Run. 
Antisecret  Convention  at  Oberlin  

Chapter  IX :  1872.  Conference  at  Delta,  Ohio.  Or- 
dained Elder.  Appointed  to  Evansville,  Indiana. 
Great  Work  at  Bloomfield.    Thrilling  Scenes... 

Chapter  X  :  187.3.  Conference  at  St.  .Tohns,  Mich- 
igan. Returned  to  Evansville.  Revival  at  Evans- 
ville. 1874.  Conference  at  Coopersville.  Elected 
District  Chairman.  General  Conference.  New 
Superintendent   

Chapter  XI :  Opened  Work  as  Chairman.  Camp- 
meeting  at  Napoleon.  Death  of  my  Companion. 
Tribute  by  J.  W.  Vickery.  Camp-meetings  at 
Coldwater,  Dover,  Paw  Paw  

Chapter  XII :  Conference  at  Spring  Arbor.  Returned 
to  Spring  Arbor  and  Kalamazoo  Districts.  First 
Ministerial  Association.    First  Dedication  

Chapter  XIII :  1876.  Quarterly  meeting  at  Sher- 
wood. Rainy  Camp-meeting.  Roberts  Slain. 
Michigan  Conference  Divided.  North  Michigan 
Conference  Organized.  Centennial  Exposition. 
Visit  to  New  York  and  Brooklyn.  Work  Opened 
at  Battle  Creek.  1877.  Dedication  at  Jackson. 
At  Eckford.    Conference  at  Ridgeville,  Ohio.... 

Chapter  XIV:  1878.  Watch  Meeting  at  Oakville. 
Baby  Vincent.  Dedication  at  Fort  Wayne.  Con- 
ference at  Holland,  Ohio.  Settled  Family  at  To- 
ledo.   Work  at  Cleveland.  Unionville  

Chapter  XV:     1879.     Weymouth,    Ohio.  Church 


CONTENTS 


vil 


Growler.    Ohio  Conference  Organized.  Reuiov(Ml 

to  Cleveland.    Death  of  Our  Baby.    Poem   113 

Chapter  XVI :  1880.  Thompson  Ledge.  Camp-meet- 
ing at  Big  Prairie.  Society  Organized.  First 
Trip  to  Canada.  C.  II.  Sage  in  Charge  of  Camp- 
meeting.  W.  F.  Manley  Assisted.  First  Visit  to 
Niagara  Falls.  Quarterly  Meeting  at  Pleasant 
Grove,  Ohio.  Camp-meeting  at  Latrobe,  Pennsyl- 
vania. Conference  at  Summerfield.  Chicago 
Junction,  Ohio.  Work  Opened  at  New  Albany. 
President  Garfield  Assassinated.  Conference  at 
Cleveland,  1881.    The  Curse  of  Rum   119 

Chapter  XVII :  1882.  Church  Divisions.  Dedication 
at  West  Flint,  Michigan.  Conference  at  Big 
Prairie.  Appointed  to  Summerfield.  General 
Conference  at  Burlington,  Iowa.  Death  of 
Brother  William.  Work  at  East  Union.  "Uncle 
Billy."  1883.  Perryopolis.  Conference  at  Chi- 
cago Junction.  First  Visit  to  West  Virginia. 
1884.    Sarahsville.    Death  of  Companion   130 

Chapter  XVIII :  1884.  Conference  at  New  Albany. 
Gerry,  New  York.  Seminary.  Salamanca.  Union 
Corners.  Camp-meeting.  Warren,  Pennsylvania. 
Conference  at  Ridgeville,  Ohio.  Spring  Arbor 
Pastorate.  Building  Burned.  1886.  Re-united 
with  Michigan  Conference.  Took  Position  in 
Seminary.  General  Conference  at  Coopersville, 
Michigan.  Free  Methodist  Purchased.  B.  T. 
Roberts,  Editor.  1887.  Dedication  at  Adrian. 
Sarahsville,  Ohio   142 

Chapter  XIX :  Father's  Death.  Small  Quarterly 
Meeting.  Dedications  at  Holloway,  Davison. 
Camp-meetings  at  Middlemiss,  Ontario  and  Milan, 
Michigan.  Ubly  Circuit.  Logan,  Ohio,  Camp- 
meeting    150 

Chapter  XX :  1888.  Conference  at  Hartford,  Michi- 
gan. Elected  Traveling  Chairman.  Quotations 
from  Diary  for  1889.  Death  of  Sister  Joseph 
Lawrence.  Band  Work.  Three  Dedications  in 
One  Week.    Brunersburg,  Ridgeway  and  Spring 


viii 


CONTEXTS 


Arbor  Cainp-meetings.     Conference  at  Kalama- 
zoo.   Death  of  C.  E.  Farrington   150 

Chapteb  XXI :  1890.  Death  of  Professor  Tiffany. 
Conference  at  Holloway.  Burning  of  Chesbrough 
►Seminary.  General  Conference  at  Chicago.  Elect- 
ed Editor  of  The  Free  MethodiHt.  Salutatory. 
Settled  in  Chicago   107 

Chapter  XXII :  1891.  Watch-night  Service  at  Mel- 
rose Park.  Wells  Street  Mission.  Letters  from 
Brothers  Terrill  and  Downing.  Death  of  Joseph 
Travis.  Conference  at  Sherwood.  Pastorate  at 
Second  Church,  Chicago   173 

Chapter  XXIII:  1892.  Watch-meeting  at  Omaha. 
First  Visit  to  South  Dakota.  Camp-meeting  at 
Olivet  and  Grand  Meadow.  Wessington  Springs. 
Birmingham,  Iov\a,  Camji-meeting.  Death  List. 
Crisis  in  Foreign  Missionary  Work.  1893.  Death 
of  B.  T.  Roberts  and  John  Ellison.  Attack  of 
Fever.    Bay  View.    Parliament  of  Religions....  180 

Chapter  XXIV:  1894.  Visit  to  Colorado.  New 
Mexico.  Ix)s  Angeles.  Conference  at  Santa 
Ana.  California  Confereiice.  "Garden  of  the 
World."  Sunday  at  Abni^eda.  William  Pearce. 
Tacoma,  Washington.  Seattle  Seminary.  Spo- 
kane Tent-meeting.  Laid  Over  at  Livingston. 
Montana.  Stage-coach  Trip  to  Helena.  Home 
Again.  First  Experience  Presiding  at  Confer- 
ence. General  Conference  at  Greenville.  Elected 
General  Superintendent    190 

Chapter  XXV :  189.5.  Assisted  in  Meetings  at 
Rochester.  Butfalo.  Ridgeway.  Daughter  Mabel 
Converted.  Daughter  Nellie  Married.  Holiness 
Convention  at  Nf)rth  Baltimore.  Ohio.  Dedi- 
cation at  Hannibal.  Mis,souri.  Death  of  J.  G. 
Terrill.  Visit  to  Genesee  Conference.  Brace- 
bridge  Canify-meeting.  Married  to  Helen  M. 
Hart.  Ogden  Camp-meeting,  First  Round  of 
Conferences.  Dedication  of  Second  Church.  Chi- 
cago.    Southern  Conferences   204 

Chapter   XXVI :     1890.     Dedication   at  Beresford. 


CONTENTS 


ix 


South  Dakota.  Deatli  of  1).  W.  Tinkliani.  Start- 
ling Visitation  at  Soutli  Quiney  C!auii)-niei'ling. 
Kouud  of  Conferences  in  the  East,  Chili  Sem- 
inary.   California  Conferences   217 

Chapter  XXVII  :  1807.  Meetings  at  Oakdale,  San 
Jose.  Corralitos.  Alameda,  (ireat  Northwest. 
Columhia  River.  W'ashington  and  Oregon  Con- 
fm'nccs.  Took  Leave  of  I*acific  Coast.  Camp- 
meetings  at  Ogden,  Utah,  and  Howard.  Colo- 
rado. At  Denver.  Central  Western  Conferences. 
Birmingham,  Iowa    22(5 

Chapter  XXVIII  :  Historical  Number  Free  Metliod- 
ist.  Organized  North  Dakota  Conference.  Ded- 
ication at  Carlton.  Michigan   233 

Chapter  XXIX :  1898,  Visited  Six  Circuits  on 
J.  D.  Marsh's  District,  Evansville.  Indiana, 
General  Conference  in  Chicago   23f3 

Chapter  XXX  :  18D0.  Oshkosh,  Wisconsin.  Deatli 
of  J.  E,  Coleman  and  W.  B,  M.  Colt.  Attica,  In- 
diana. Enterprise,  Ontario,  Camp-mecting.  Ge- 
neva Conference.  Death  of  A.  F.  Curry.  Oil 
City  Conference  Organized.  Two  Conferences 
Held  in  One  Week.  1000.  Out-going  Mission- 
aries. Engagements  in  IMttsburg  and  Oil  City 
Conferences.  Coudersport  Cnmp-meeting.  Dedi- 
cations at  Owosso,  Detroit,  Toledo   243 

Chapter  XXXI :  1001.  Twentieth  Century.  Death 
of  Dr.  Begel.  Note  from  S.  K,  Wheatlake.  Dedi- 
cation at  Zanesville,  Ohio.  "Digest  of  Free 
Methodist  Law."    Summary  of  Labors  for  1001  252 

Chapter  XXXII :  1002.  Trip  to  Pacific  Coast. 
San  Antonio,  Los  Angeles.  Alameda.  Coast 
Conferences.  Middle  West  Conferences.  Dedi- 
cation at  East  End,  Pittsburg,,   257 

Chapter  XXXIII:  i;K)3,  Hart's  Keminiscences,  Dedi- 
cation at  Howard  City,  Michigan.  General  Con- 
ference at  Greenville,  Illinois,  Superintendent 
Coleman  Retired.  Election  of  Officers.  Labor 
Unions.  Train  Wreck.  Eastern  Conferences. 
Dedication  at  Hillsdale,  Michigan   2G5 


CONTENTS 


Chapter  XXXIV:  1904.  Theater  Burned.  Get-rich- 
quick  Schemes.  Death  of  Dr.  Curry.  Glen 
Ellyn  Camp-meeting.  Death  of  Levi  Wood.  Ded- 
ication at  Danville,  Illinois.    Annual  Report....  271 

Chapter  XXXV :  1905.  Holiness  Convention  at 
Atlanta,  Georgia.  Dedication  at  Battle  Creek. 
Sault  Ste.  Marie.  Dedication  of  Administra- 
tion Building,  Spring  Arbor.  Platte  River  Con- 
ference.   Baptismal  Scene   276 


Chapter  XXXVI :  Foreign  Mission  Work.  South  Af- 
rica Mission  Conference.  1906.  Three  Dedica- 
tions in  Kansas  Conference.  Earthquake  in  Cali- 
fornia. Annual  Sermon  at  Spring  Arbor.  Camp- 
meetings  in  South  Dakota  and  Minnesota.  West- 
ern Canada  Conference  Organized.  Camp-meet- 
ing at  Pittsburg.  Dedication  of  First  Church 
of  China.    Central  West  Conferences.  Colum- 


bus, Ohio   282 

Chapter  XXXVII :  1907.  Pacific  Coast  Conferences. 
Commencement  at  Orleans.  General  Conference. 
Title  "Bishop"  Adopted.  Order  of  Deaconesses. 
Marriage   of   Daughter    Mabel.    Dedication  at 

Ypsilanti.    Death  of  Prominent  Men   200 

Chapter  XXXVIII:  1908.  Revival  at  Danville,  Mich- 
igan. Annual  Trustee  Meeting.  Dedication  at 
Port  Huron.  Death  of  C.  B.  Ebey.  Chittenango 
Camp-meeting.  Annual  Board  Meeting.  E.  P. 
Hart  Resigned.    William  Pearce  Elected  Bishop. 

Visit  at  Greenville,  Illinois   297 

Chapter  XXXIX:    Mother's  Death   302 

Chapter  XL :  1909.  Holiness  Conventions.  Dedi- 
cation at  Hites,  Pennsylvania.  Durand,  Mich- 
igan.    Special    at    Coldwater.    At  Kalamazoo. 

Fortj'-fourth  Anniversary  of  Conversion   304 

Chapter  XLI  :  Divine  Guidance.  Attachment  to 
Church.  Great  Work  of  Church.  Her  Future. 
Younger  Generation.    Precedent  of  the  Fathers. 

Benediction    311 

Chapter  XLII.    Summary    316 


CHAPTER  I. 


"The  smallest  bark  on  life's  tumultuous  ocean 
Will  leave  a  track  behind  for  evermore; 

The  lightest  waves  of  influence  set  in  motion, 
Extend  and  widen  to  the  eternal  shore: 
We  should  be  wary,  then,  who  go  before 

A  myriad  yet  to  be;  and  we  should  take 
Our  bearing  carefully,  where  breakers  roar 

And  fearful  tempests  gather;  one  mistake 

May  wreck  unnumbered  barks  that  follow  in  our 
wake." 

Whiat  responsibilities  attach  to  life!  As  I  "call 
to  remembrance  the  things  that  are  pasised"  it  is 
with  a  sense  of  profound  gratitude  to  God  for  His 
gracious  dealings  with  me,  and  for  the  hallowed 
associations  amid  which  my  lot  has  been  caist.  The 
best  of  my  life  is  what  God  has  done  for  me.  While 
retrospecting  I  realize  that  I  could  have  achieved 
more  had  I  been  sufficiently  impressed  with  the 
value  of  the  passing  years  and  the  infinite  pos- 
sibilities they  contained.  But  it  is  with  the  years 
as  with  the  dead — we  seldom  know  their  value 
while  they  are  with  us. 

I  was  born  in  a  log  cabin  in  York  township,  Liv- 
ingston county,  New  York,  December  3,  1845.  I 
was  the  third  of  a  family  of  nine  children — seven 
sons — Charles  W.,  Frank  J.,  Burton  R.,  Byron  O., 
William,  Edward,  Theodore,  and  two  daughters — 
Nellie  and  Emmer. 

11 


12 


LIFE  AND  LAB0R8  OF 


My  father,  James  Jones,  was  of  New  England 
stock,  being  a  native  of  New  Hampshire.  When 
young  he  removed  to  Western  New  York  where  he 
spent  the  most  of  hiis  life,  removing  to  Michigan 
a  few  years  before  his  death.  He  was  a  thrifty, 
industrious  farmer,  and  while  his  family  did  not 
abound  in  luxuries  they  were  well  provided  with 
the  ordinary  comforts  of  life. 

My  mother,  Eleanor  Sabina,  whose  maiden  name 
was  Osbon,  was  a  native  of  New  York  state,  having 
been  born  but  a  short  distance  from  the  place  of 
my  birth.  She  was  a  model  housekeeper,  a  de- 
voted wife,  a  tender-hearted,  faithful  mother. 

My  ancestors  for  several  generations  back  were 
irreligious.  At  the  time  of  my  birth  my  parents, 
though  moral  and  highly  respected  in  society,  were 
neither  of  them  professors  of  religion;  and  among 
those  with  whom  they  associated  there  were  very 
few  religious  people.  When  I  was  about  two  years 
old  my  parents  moved  to  Greigsville,  New  York, 
two  miles  from  the  place  of  my  birth.  This  was  a 
small  settlement  containing  a  church,  post-office, 
schoolhouse,  blacksmith  shop,  a  general  store 
owned  by  my  father,  and  a  few  residences.  At  this 
place  I  received  the  greater  part  of  my  early  edu- 
cation in  the  district  school.  Being  quick  to  learn 
I  had  little  difficulty  in  mastering  the  common 
English  branches. 

My  associates  were  not  of  the  vulgar  class,  and 
I  never  became  entangled  in  the  forms  of  vice  so 
common  among  the  young.  I  never  used  tobacco 
nor  liquor,  habits  which  were  very  common  in  my 
early  days,  and  I  have  no  recollection  of  ever  having 


BURTON  K.  JONES 


13 


used  but  one  profune  word,  and  my  moral  sensi- 
bilities were  so  shocked  by  it  tliat  I  never  pre 
sumed  to  repeat  tlie  act. 

Even  when  unsaved  my  j)arents  were  firm  be- 
lievers in  Christianity  and  sought  to  train  their 
children  to  lives  of  strict  morality.  We  were  early 
placed  in  the  Sabbath-school  and  t^iught  that  the 
Holy  Scriptures  should  be  made  the  rule  of  our 
lives.  Here  I  committed  many  passages  and  some 
whole  chapters  of  the  Bible  to  memory,  which  in 
after  life  proved  to  be  a  great  blessing  to  me,  fur- 
nishing food  for  thought  and  material  for  sermons. 

During  the  winter  of  1853-4,  under  the  labors 
of  that  remarkable  man  of  God,  Rev.  William  C. 
Kendall,  there  was  a  gracious  outpouring  of  the 
Holy  Spirit  at  Greigsville,  a  point  on  the  Coving- 
ton circuit,  Genesee  conference.  The  revival  swept 
nearly  the  whole  community  for  miles  around. 
The  work  was  deep  and  thorough.  Among  those 
converted  were  my  own  dear  parents,  who  soon 
after  united  with  the  Methodist  Episcopal  church. 

Before  coming  to  this  circuit  Mr.  Kendall  had 
felt  the  force  of  opposing  elements.  To  urge  con- 
verts to  press  into  the  experience  of  holinesis  was 
regarded  by  some  who  were  prominent  in  church 
circles  as  not  prudent  but  rather  a;s  a  reflection  on 
their  faithfulness.  But  he  asserted  the  authority 
of  his  commission  and  with  calm  and  holy  boldness 
raised  the  standard  of  inward  and  outward  holi- 
ness. As  a  result  the  work  of  holiness  spread  over 
the  entire  circuit. 

Though  young,  I  was  at  this  time  the  subject  of 
serious  impressions  which  continued  to  deepen  until 


14 


LIFE  AND  LABORS  OF 


warmed  into  life  as  I  fell  submissively  into  the 
arms  of  my  Savior.  As  I  knelt  at  the  sacred  altar 
that  holy  man  of  God  placed  his  hands  upon  my 
head  saying,  '*The  Lord  bless  the  boy/'  and  after- 
ward expressed  his  conviction  that  some  day  I 
would  i)reach  the  gospel.  His  words  jjroduced  a 
deep  imi>ression  upon  my  young  heart.  I  ran  well 
for  a  season.  Prayer  was  the  delight  of  my  soul. 
I  thought  the  Lord  lived  in  the  sky  and  to  look  in 
that  direction  seemed  to  inspire  my  heart.  I  would 
call  my  schoolmates  together  at  the  noon  hour, 
sing  and  pray,  relate  my  experience  and  exhort 
them  to  seek  the  Savior.  A  number  were  thus  led 
to  Christ.  After  a  season,  however,  I  yielded  to 
the  influence  of  my  associates  and  the  allurements 
of  Satan,  neglected  duty  and  fell  a  prey  to  the 
enemy. 

In  the  fall  of  1858  I  took  my  first  trip  on  a  rail- 
road train.  In  eomj^any  with  my  uncle,  William 
H.  Osbon,  I  boarded  a  Genesee  Valley  train  at 
Geneseo.  New  York,  for  the  West.  As  the  train 
pulled  out  of  the  station  it  seemed  to  me  that  the 
whole  world  was  moving.  One  year  was  spent  at 
my  uncle's  home  in  Sturgis,  Michigan,  where  I  at- 
tended the  village  school,  returning  home  the  next 
fall. 

In  company  with  my  parents  I  attended  vseveral 
annual  gatherings  on  the  old  Bergen  camp-ground. 
That  was  the  rallying  place  for  the  holiness  people 
of  Western  New  York  in  those  early  days.  There 
the  people  met  to  receive  the  truths  which  God 
was  pleased  to  reveal  through  the  ministry  and 
through  the  experienr-es  of  the  humblest  of  His 


BURTON  K.  JONES 


15 


saints.  Those  were  seasons  of  deep  and  thrilling 
interest.  On  that  ground  I  witnessed  marvelous 
demonstrations  of  divine  power.  Many  were  stead- 
fastly set  to  do  the  whole  will  of  God,  and  at  times 
the  tide  of  rapture  ran  high  and  strong,  sweeping 
before  it  all  fears  and  doubts  and  inspiring  the 
soul  with  perfect  i^t  and  confidence.  To  those 
who  were  seeking  to  know  the  whole  mind  of  Christ 
those  meetings  were  a  great  help. 

It  was  there  I  first  heard  the  gospel  preached  by 
such  holy  men  of  God  as  Asa  Abell,  B.  T.  Roberts, 
Loren  Stiles,  Doctor  Redfield,  Levi  Wood,  B.  W. 
Gorham,  B.  Pomeroy,  and  others.  I  shall  ever  thank 
God  for  the  influence  of  such  men  in  m'olding  my 
character  and  directing  my  life. 

In  reflecting  upon  those  scenes  from  the  stand- 
point of  mature  years  I  feel  to  magnify  the  grace 
of  God  by  which,  through  proper  scriptural  teach- 
ing, I  was  enabled  to  escape  the  sophistries  of 
Satan  and  of  men  and  find  the  highway  of  holiness. 
The  untiring  energy,  patient  endurance  and  trium- 
phant faith  of  the  fathers  proved  an  inspiration 
to  me. 


CHAPTER  II. 


The  exciting  scenes  of  abolition  times  are  asso- 
ciated with  my  earliest  recollection  of  political 
controversies.  My  father  was  well  informed  on 
current  e\^nts  and  was  an  abolitionist  of  the  regu- 
lar order.  He  regarded  slavery  as  indeed  the  "sum 
of  all  villainies."  His  finer  sensibilities  were 
shocked  at  the  thought  of  legalizing  an  institution 
fraught  with  so  much  danger  to  both  social  and 
national  life.  And  that  feeling  was  intensified  by 
the  knowledge  that  from  the  pulpit  of  his  own 
church  that  national  monstrosity  was  at  times 
treated  as  a  harmless  system.  His  keen  sense  of 
justice  and  liberty  would  not  admit  of  his  remain- 
ing silent  concerning  an  institution  so  subTersive 
of  the  fundamental  principles  of  righteousness.  He 
was  identified  with  the  abolition  party — the  party 
of  liberty — from  early  manhood. 

While  young  my  mind  became  very  much  exer- 
cised over  the  condition  of  the  bondman.  Thomas 
P.  Boyd,  for  vseveral  years  my  Sunday-school  super- 
intendent, was  an  ardent  champion  of  the  anti- 
slavery  cause,  and  under  his  tuition  my  interest  in 
the  Negro  race  steadily  increased. 

Deep  and  vivid  were  the  impressions  made  upon 
my  mind  of  the  dark  and  trying  times  experienced 
by  those  who  espoused  the  cause  of  the  downtrod- 
den race.  One  has  said,  "The  youth  of  this  genera- 
ls 


BUKTON  R.  JONES 


17 


tion  canmot  comprehend  tlie  eniorniity  of  luinvan 
sluA'ery  in  its  effects  ui)on  society.  *  *  *  And 
yet,  those  who  practised  and  sustained  this  in- 
iquity, occupied  coniniauding  positions  in  church 
and  state." 

Those  were  j)erik)us  times.  A  great  niational 
crisis  was  approaching.  The  nation  could  not  en- 
dure nuich  louger  the  strain  of  the  two  contend- 
ing forces — freedom  and  slavery — operating  within 
its  domain  under  the  sanction  of  law.  Numerous 
forces  were  operating  to  h:^«ten  the  mighty  strug- 
gle of  1801-5.  The  abolition  movement  was  rapidly 
gaining  strength.  That  "All  men  are  created 
equal ;  that  they  are  endowed  by  their  Creator  with 
certain  inalienable  rights;  that  among  these  are 
life,  liberty  and  the  pursuit  of  happiness,"  was  the 
corner-stone  of  the  party  of  freedom. 

"Uncle  Tom's  Cabin,"  by  Harriet  Beecher  Stowe, 
which  was  the  offspring  of  the  awakening  produced 
by  abolition  agitation,  did  much  to  remove  hatred, 
create  sympathy  for  the  slave  and  give  strength 
to  the  "irrepressible  conflict." 

"S;he  told  the  story,  and  the  whole  world  wept 
At  wrongs  and  cruelties  it  had  not  known 
But  for  this  fearless  woman's  voice." 

The  ungovernable  spirit  of  slavery  threatened  the 
speedy  dissolution  of  the  Union.  In  referring  to 
the  state  of  the  country  on  the  eve  of  the  Rebel- 
lion, Rev.  B.  T.  Roberts  wrote:  "The  finest  and 
most  fertile  portion  of  the  Union  has  been  reduced 
by  slavery  to  a  state  where  freedom  of  speech  is 
as  effectually  suppressed  as  in  the  most  despotic 


18 


LIFE  AND  LABORS  OF 


governments.  *  *  *  Grave  and  venerable  bodies 
of  professed  ministers  of  the  Lord  Jesus,  repre- 
senting the  popular  Christianity  of  the  age,  have 
persisted  in  throwing  the  sanction  of  the  church 
around  a  system  which,  says  Dr.  Clarke,  'among 
Christians,  is  an  enormity  and  a  crime  for  which 
perdition  has  scarcely  an  adequate  state  of  pun- 
ishment.' " 

The  fugitive  slave  law  was  at  that  time  in  full 
force,  practically  making  the  North  a  ''hunting- 
ground  for  running  down  the  unfortunate  black 
man,  and  reducing  northern  freemen  into  mere 
slave-catchers." 

The  attempt  to  force  Kansas  into  the  Union  as  a 
slave  state  brought  on  a  struggle  that  foreshadowed 
civil  war.  The  sequel  to  that  conflict  was  the  John 
Brown  raid  on  Virginia,  designated  by  that  brave 
abolitionist,  William  Lloyd  Garrison,  as  a  ''mis- 
guided, wild  and  apparently  insane,  though  dis- 
interested and  well-meaning  effort  by  insurrection 
to  emancipate  the  slaves  in  Virginia." 

The  logic  of  events  pointed  to  a  mighty  on-com- 
ing struggle.  The  contending  forces  were  gather- 
ing strength.  The  political  elements  of  the  North 
favorable  to  freedom  and  the  perpetuation  of  the 
Union  organized  under  the  name  of  the  Republican 
party,  confronting  the  ''solid  South."  The  first 
engagement  was  the  contest  of  1856,  between  James 
Buchanan  and  John  C.  Fremont,  resulting  in  the 
election  of  the  former,  which  was  a  numerical  vic- 
tory for  the  South. 

An  incident  occurred  at  that  election  which 
deeply  impressed  my  youthful  mind.    The  day  be- 


BURTON  R.  JONES 


10 


iog  stormy,  business  pre^siing  and  the  voting-place 
four  miles  distant,  my  father  and  one  of  his  pro- 
slavery  neighbors  agi'eed  that  they  both  would  re- 
main away  from  the  polls,  and  thus  the  los>s  of  one 
vote  would  offset  the  loss  of  the  other  vote.  Near 
the  hour  for  the  polls  to  close  father  learned  that 
his  neighbor  had  stolen  away  and  cast  his  vote  for 
the  party  of  oppression.  He  quickly  mounted  his 
horse,  sped  away  and  reached  the  polls  in  time  to 
cast  his  vote  for  liberty  and  human  rights.  To  me 
the  incident  was  intensely  exciting.  Although  un- 
refiective  and  having  little  thought  of  the  inherent 
sinfulness  of  slavery,  parental  influence  was  mold- 
ing my  sentiments  and  laying  the  foundation  for 
future  development. 

The  second  engagement  between  the  two  con- 
tending forces  was  the  one  in  which  Abraham  Lin- 
coln became  President  of  the  United  States.  Al- 
though not  old  enough  to  vote,  I  was  as  delighted 
over  the  result  of  the  election  of  1860  as  a  fifteen- 
year-old  boy  could  be. 

There  was  a  wise  Providence  in  the  events  that 
were  transpiring.  God  designed  to  bring  good  out 
of  them.  "Slavery,  the  plague  of  the  American  na- 
tion," w^as  doomed. 

Maddened  by  their  defeat  in  the  arena  of  politics, 
and  interpreting  the  vote  of  the  nation  to  mean 
that  slavery  should  not  be  extended  over  our  West- 
ern prairies,  the  South  "arose  in  rebellion  and 
swore  the  Union  dissolved,  determined  to  establish 
the  institution  of  human  chattlehood  on  the  foun- 
dation of  Confederate  independence." 

On  April  13,  1861,  the  neAvs  oame  flashing  over 


20 


LIFE  AND  LABORS  OF 


the  wires,  "Fort  Sumpter  has  fallen !"  War  was  on. 
The  citizens  of  a  great  nation  wer-e  arrayed  against 
each  other  in  deadly  strife.  The  whole  country 
was  intensely  aroused.  ^'The  overwhelming  respon- 
sibilities of  the  war  forced  the  immortal  Lincoln 
to  his  kneef?.'' 

The  ostensible  cause  of  the  outbreak  wa.s  the 
election  of  a  Republican  president,  but  the  real 
cause  was  slavery.  So  long  as  the  nation  fought 
simply  to  preserve  the  Union  God  gave  little  sue 
cess  to  our  arms.  He  was  saying,  ''Let  the  op- 
pressed go  free.''  The  "divinity  that  shapes  our 
ends''  had  decreed  that  the  liberty  of  the  bondman 
should  be  included  in  the  results  of  the  great  con- 
flict. The  affairs  of  our  poor  bleeding  country 
grew  more  and  more  desperate.  Many  homes  were 
being  made  desolate.  The  flattering  expectations 
enter-tained  at  the  beginning  that  the  war  would 
be  over  in  a  few  months  were  not  realized.  One  in- 
glorious defeat  followed  another.  The  God-fearing 
jjeople  of  the  country  felt  that  the  cause  of  the 
prolonged  struggle  lay  in  the  nation's  disregard  of 
the  claims  of  God.  With  His  favor  the  Union 
forces  were  sufficient  to  sweep  everything  before 
them.  The  Bull  Run  defeat  in  July,  1861,  brought 
the  nation  to  its  senses,  and  it  began  to  realize  that 
it  had  a  "foeman  worthy  of  its  steel." 

The  Emancipation  Proclamation,  issued  Septem- 
ber 22,  1862,  taking  effect  January  1,  1863,  oblit- 
erated chattel  slavery  forever  from  the  United 
States.  Still  the  fearful  conflict  raged.  "In  the 
smoky  distance  dimly  seen  *  *  *  a  host  of  brave 
men  led  on  to  victory.    At  length  the  heiivy  clouds 


BUirrON  K.  JONES 


21 


lifted,  the  dust  and  smoke  of  battle  cleared  away^ 
the  nation's  sun  rolled  back  to  meridian  and  poured 
its  light  of  promised  peace  on  all  the  land." 

The  Union  was  preserved,  liberty  secured,  but 
at  what  a  price!  The  lamented  (larfield  once  said, 
"I  love  to  believe  that  no  heroic  sacrifice  is  ever 
lost."  Peace,  liberty  and  personal  security  are  the 
heritage  of  every  loyal  American  citizen  as  a  result 
of  that  struggle. 

On  April  14,  1865,  the  people  of  the  nation  were 
shocked  by  the  telegram  which  read,  "President 
Lincoln  is  shot.  The  assassin  is  arrested."  Well 
do  I  remember  how  the  news  of  that  direful  disas- 
ter shocked  the  loyal  citizens  of  my  home  town. 
The  feeling  was  shared  by  both  old  and  young.  The 
noble  statesman,  "great  beyond  his  time,"  the 
"grandest  hero  of  history,"  the  "kindest  of  rulers," 
had  fallen. 


CHAPTER  III. 


In  the  order  of  Providence  I  have  been  associated 
in  my  life  and  labors  with  the  religious  movement 
which,  as  an  organized  system  for  the  carrying  out 
of  the  great  x^urfjoses  of  the  gospel,  originated  with 
the  immortal  Wesley,  in  the  early  part  of  the  eight- 
eenth century. 

It  was  my  lot  to  live  at  the  time  when  it  became 
necessary,  through  a  new  organization,  for  Method- 
ism to  seek  refuge  from  the  trammels  of  worldly 
alliances,  time-serving  policies  and  the  routine  of  a 
lifeless  formalism.  A  great  moral  conflict  was  rag- 
ing. Western  New  York  was  the  theater  of  a  fierce 
struggle  between  pure  Methodism  and  the  allied 
forces  of  formalism  and  worldliness.  The  lines 
were  steadily  tightening  and  Methodism  was  be- 
coming embarrassed  in  its  soul-saving  ojjerations 
by  an  unscrupulous  and  almost  universal  con- 
formity to  the  world  on  the  part  of  the  parent 
church.  It  was  becoming  increasingly  difficult  to 
fulfil  its  appropriate  mission  in  spreading  scrip- 
tural holiness  over  the  land.  At  an  early  age  I 
found  myself  in  full  sympathy  with  the  principles 
and  purposes  of  the  new  movement. 

Methodism,  defined  as  "Christianity  in  earnest," 
had  reached  a  crucial  period  in  its  history.  For 
more  than  half  a  century  the  Methodist  Episcopal 
church  maintained  her  spirituality  and  carried  for- 

22 


BURTON  K.  JONES 


23 


ward  the  greiit  and  glorious  objects  of  her  sacred 
mission.  But  the  old,  simple  beliefs  were  gradually 
but  surely  fading  away.  In  about  1858-60,  world- 
liness  and  pride  and  formalism  and  all  the  fashion- 
able associations  and  amusements  that  had  been  cov- 
ertly following  in  its  train  broke  loose  on  every 
hand.  Free  Masonry  and  Odd  Fellowship  had  be- 
come thoroughly  entrenched  in  the  Genesee  confer- 
ence. All  restraint  was  thrown  off  and  the  worldly 
elements  held  full  sway.  Evangelical  piety  was 
scouted  as  the  wildest  fanaticism.  Many  of  her 
ministers  turned  to  ridiculing  much  that  St.  Paul 
and  Wesley  taught  as  essential  to  godliness. 

In  his  account  of  this  critical  period,  Mr.  S.  K. 
J.  Chesbro  wrote:  ^'The  difficulties  of  the  Genesee 
conference  had  their  origin  some  years  ago  in  the 
connection  of  several  of  its  prominent  preachers 
with  the  Odd  Fellows  and  Free  Masons.  Many  of 
the  old  and  tried  members  of  the  church  remem- 
bered with  horror  the  abduction  and  murder  of 
Morgan,  and  they  could  not  in  conscience  give  their 
support  to  those  ministers  who  were  in  sympathy 
with  the  perpetrators  of  that  atrocious  deed.  Some 
who  refused  to  receive  the  sacrament  at  the  hands 
of  those  secret-society  ministers,  or  to  contribute 
to  their  support  were,  under  various  pretexts,  cut 
off  from  the  church.    Disunion  followed." 

The  practise  of  ridiculing  and  traducing  certain 
men  who  advocated  the  doctrine  of  holiness  became 
common.  The  battle  went  on  with  steadily  increas- 
ing determination  on  both  sides.  There  were  a 
few  fearless  men  who  led  on  the  Lord's  hosts,  and 
under  whose  leadership  the  work  of  holiness  went 


24 


LIFE  AND  LABORS  OF 


on  with  primitive  methodistic  life  and  power.  It 
was  evident  that  the  mother  church  and  many  of 
her  most  devoted  members  were  nearing  the  "part- 
ing of  the  ways." 

In  1858,  at  Perry,  New  York,  ten  miles  from  my 
native  home.  Rev.  B.  T.  Roberts  was  expelled  from 
the  church  of  his  choice  on  a  trumped-up  bill  of 
charges  with  scarcely  a  particle  of  evidence  to  sup- 
port the  complaints  against  him.  Flushed  with  this 
apparent  victory,  the  so-called  "Regency  party" 
continued  its  operations  until  many  of  the  fearless 
champions  of  true  Methodism  were  expelled  from 
the  church. 

The  ranks  of  the  laity  were  then  attacked.  With- 
out even  the  form  of  justice,  ''in  the  exercise  of 
the  most  flagrant  ecclesiastical  usurpation,  many 
intelligent  laymen  were  read  out  of  the  churches  of 
which  they  were  the  pillars,  and  excluded  from 
houses  of  worship  which  they  had  built." — From 
"Why  Another  Sectr 

How  sad  the  thought  that  holiness,  the  element 
that  gave  to  Methodism  her  being  and  her  strength, 
and  for  the  spread  of  which  God  raised  her  up, 
should  be  thus  cruelly  crushed  in  the  person  of  her 
faithful  advocates.  Had  the  church  remained  true 
to  her  mission  she  never  could  have  thrust  from 
her  fold  so  many  of  her  most  devoted  children  for 
no  other  cause  than  their  loyalty  to  God  and  to  the 
principles  of  Methodism. 

The  cry  of  "fanaticism"  and  "Xazaritism"  was 
raised  wherever  "Methodism  in  earnest"  appeared. 
But  that  was  simply  a  '^new  form  of  the  old  oppo- 
sition to  vital  godliness."    Still  the  work  went  on 


BURTON  K.  JOxNES 


25 


with  steadily  iiKTeasing  momentum.  God  honored 
His  faithful  ones  despite  the  false  accusations  of 
their  bitterest  enemies. 

A  crisis  had  arisen.  It  was  evident  to  every  un 
prejudiced  observer  that  the  natural  conservator 
of  Methodism  had  lajised  into  formalism  and  worM 
liness,  and  that  an  overruling  l*rovidence  was  pre- 
paring the  way  for  a  new  organization  that  would 
exemplify  the  Bible  type  of  piety  and  faithfully 
execute  the  divine  purpose.  Because  the  Bible  sys- 
tem of  truth  is  always  the  same  it  does  not  neces- 
sarily follow  that  it  is  always  known  by  the  same 
name  or  represented  by  the  same  denomination. 

It  being  true  that  "Methodism  is  a  creature  of 
providence,"  the  grace  of  God  must  be  magnified 
in  raising  up  another  people  to  carry  on  the  work 
of  hoHness.  Only  the  infinite  One  who  "leaveth  not 
Himself  without  witness  in  the  earth"  was  equal 
to  the  emergency.  Such  an  organization  as  God 
would  honor  must  not  be  precipitated  by  "fanati- 
cism," "disappointed  ambition,"  "personal  disaffec 
tion,"  or  any  unworthy  motive.  The  men  at  the 
head  of  the  movement  must  have  only  the  glory  of 
God  in  view. 

At  Pekin,  New  York,  August  23,  1860,  a  con- 
vention composed  of  fifteen  ministers  and  forty- 
five  laymen  met  to  consider  the  best  mode  of  ex- 
tending the  work  which  God  had  committed  to 
them.  The  deliberations  of  that  convention  resulted 
in  the  organization  of  the  Free  Methodist  church, 
the  adoption  of  their  first  Discipline  and  the  elec- 
tion of  Rev.  B.  T.  Roberts  as  general  superintend- 
ent.   Thus  this  movement  emerged  into  a  regularly 


26 


LIFE  AND  LABORS  OF 


organized  Christian  church  with  but  one  purpose 
in  view — the  upbuilding  of  the  Redeemer's  king- 
dom. God  placed  His  seal  of  authority  upon  a  few 
holy  men  and  sent  them  forth  to  awaken  the  slum- 
bering energies  of  the  church  and  the  world  and 
to  exemplify  a  type  of  piety  at  once  deep,  whole- 
some and  consistent. 

At  Pekin,  New  York,  August  26,  1860,  the  first 
Free  Methodist  society  was  organized,  composed 
of  nineteen  persons.  The  first  Convention  (now 
known  as  the  Genesee  conference)  was  formed  at 
Rushford,  New  York,  with  fourteen  preachers  and 
fourteen  laymen  enrolled. 

Such  was  the  beginning  of  a  new  epoch  in  the 
history  of  Methodism.  "This  is  the  Lord's  doing, 
and  it  is  marvelous  in  our  eyes." 


CHAPTER  IV. 


The  young  church  now  fully  organized  and  fairly 
well  equipped,  enters  upon  her  two-fold  mission 
— to  '^maintain  the  Bible  standard  of  religion,"  and 
to  "preach  the  gospel  to  the  poor" — differing  from 
the  mother  church  only  as  she  differs  from  her 
original  self.  A  movement  thus  born  of  a  divine 
purpose  and  insi)ired  with  the  spirit  of  the  Master 
was  destined  to  make  its  mark  in  the  world. 

The  revival  of  primitive  Methodism  already 
sweeping  over  Western  New  York,  and  breaking 
out  in  Illinois  and  Michigan  was  to  be  perpetuated 
by  God's  chosen  agencies,  but  not  without  opposi- 
tion and  discouragement. 

The  removal  by  death  of  William  C.  Kendall, 
Loren  Stiles  and  Doctor  Redfield  from  the  scene  of 
conflict  was  a  source  of  discouragement  to  those 
who  were  identified  with  the  new  movement.  Such 
courageous,  gifted,  resolute,  devoted  men  seemed  to 
be  necessary  for  the  advancement  of  the  cause.  But 
Infinite  Wisdom  planned  wisely  and  while  the 
workmen  were  laid  aside,  the  work  went  steadily 
on.  God  would  have  His  church  lean  on  Him  alone. 
The  infant  church  whose  downfall,  to  all  human 
appearance,  seemed  inevitable,  was  sustained  by  in- 
visible, almighty  power.  Societies  and  conferences 
sprang  up  in  different  states  and  in  Canada. 

In  1864  a  Free  Methodist  society  was  organized 

27 


28 


LIFE  AND  LABORS  OF 


by  Rev.  Asa  Abell  at  Greigsville,  Xew  York,  com- 
posed of  the  following  named  persons :  James 
Jones,  Eleanor  8.  Jones,  William  McBurnev  and 
wife,  George  Slack  and  wife,  Louisa  Osbon,  S^iva 

Tuttle  and  Urana  Tut- 
tle.  They  deeply  de- 
plored the  departure 
of  the  mother  church 
from  her  primitive 
simplicity  and  power, 
and  were  reluctant  to 
leave  her  communion, 
but  could  not  in  con- 
science, either  by  their 
presence  or  by  their 
means,  support  an  in- 
stitution that  sought 
to  crush  out  her  most 
holy  men  and  women. 
Nearly  all  of  the  new 
society  had  been  active 
members  of  the  parent 
church  and  were  per- 
mitted to  continue 
their  services  in  the  same  house  of  worship. 

In  the  early  part  of  I860,  Rev.  J.  A.  Wilson,  as- 
sisted by  Revs.  G.  W.  Coleman  and  W.  B.  Pat- 
tridge,  the  latter  a  local  preacher  on  the  circuit, 
held  a  series  of  meetings  at  Greigsville.  A  sweep- 
ing revival  broke  out  and  many  were  gloriously 
saved,  among  whom  were  several  of  my  young  com- 
panions. Special  attention  was  given  to  the  work 
of  holiness  and  a  number  obtained  the  experience. 


BURTOX     R.  JONES 
18G4 


BUKTOX  It.  JONES 


20 


At  that  time  1  was  attending  the  a(^a(lemy  at 
Geneseo,  New  York,  five  miles  distant.  Although 
in  a  backslidden  state,  the  Spirit  of  Him  who  hath 
"no  pleasure  in  the  death  of  hiim  that  dieth"  had 
not  forsaken  me.  My  sense  of  guilt  and  responsi- 
bility to  (lod  seemed  to  increase  as  the  years  passed 
away.  AVorldly  prospects  did  not  brighten.  While 
pursuing  my  studies  my  soul  was  deeply  exercised. 
God  was  making  another  effort  for  my  salv^ation. 
As  I  passed  the  door  of  a  church  one  evening  the 
voice  of  i)rayer  struck  my  ear  and  I  was  strangely 
wrought  upon.  Being  unable  to  confine  myself  to 
my  studies  I  decided  to  return  home  and  attend 
the  meetings  then  in  progress  at  Greigsville.  None 
but  God  and  myself  knew  the  concern  I  felt  for  my 
soul.  I  dreaded  the  hour  for  family  devotion — 
not  because  I  disapproved  of  lit,  but  because  the 
prayers  of  my  parents  for  their  children  pierced 
my  heart  so  deeply. 

Here  I  will  add :  No  family  should  be  without 
a  divine  altar — an  altar  where  God  is  honored, 
prayer  offered  and  thanksgiving  rendered.  An  in- 
fluence is  there  thrown  about  the  children  and  im- 
pressions made  upon  their  minds  from  which  they 
will  find  it  difficult  to  escape. 

The  meetings  at  G.  were  still  progressing  with 
steadily  increasing  interest  and  power.  God  was 
working  and  the  truth  took  a  deep  hold  upon  my 
heart.  A  strange  sensation  crept  over  me  when- 
ever sinners  were  invited  to  seek  the  Lord.  I  longed 
to  yield,  but  feared  the  consequences.  A  mighty 
struggle  was  going  on  within  and  the  cross  seemed 
heavier  than  I  could  bear.    At  times  it  seemed  I 


30 


LIFE  AND  LABORS  OF 


would  rather  be  lost  than  yield.  I  wept  and  trem- 
bled but  continued  to  resist  the  Spirit.  Every  suc- 
ceeding service  found  me  seated  nearer  the  front. 
How  I  longed  for  some  one  to  invite  me  to  the 
altar.  It  seemed  as  though  no  one  cared  for  my 
soul.  Soon,  however,  with  streaming  eyes  and  an 
anxious  heart  my  beloved  mother  approached  me 
and  entreated  me — as  none  but  a  mother  can  en- 
treat— to  there  and  then  give  my  heart  to  God. 
After  a  short  pause  I  made  my  way  to  the  altar, 
much  to  the  surprise  of  many  in  the  audience  who 
knew  nothing  of  my  inward  conflicts.  A  fierce 
struggle  was  pending.  My  emotions  subsided  and 
it  seemed  as  though  Satan  with  all  his  fury  was 
let  loose  upon  me.  A  rough  and  thorny  way,  at- 
tended with  reproach  and  persecution,  was  pre- 
sented to  my  vision.  The  necessity  of  separation 
from  worldly  companions  and  of  taking  an  uncom- 
promising stand  for  God  became  apparent  to  me. 
In  this  state  of  mind  I  remained  for  several  days, 
undecided  as  to  what  my  final  choice  would  be. 
Satan  was  struggling  for  the  mastery,  while  the 
Lord  was  reining  me  up  to  a  decision. 

On  returning  from  church  one  night,  sorely 
tempted  and  much  discouraged,  I  hastened  to  re- 
tire. My  mother  met  me  at  the  stairway  and  per- 
suaded me  to  remain  to  family  worship.  With  a 
burdened  heart  I  fell  upon  my  knees,  resolved  on 
victory  or  death.  In  a  short  time  every  contro- 
versy was  settled,  the  full  surrender  made,  and  I 
waited  only  for  the  testimony  of  the  Spirit  to  the 
work  wrought.  My  longing  soul  was  impatient 
for  the  break  of  day.    I  could  see  the  Savior  at  a 


BURTON  11.  JONES 


31 


distance,  but  how  difficult  to  accept  Him  as  my  in- 
dwelling Savior.  Those  about  me  engaged  in  sing- 
ing, 

*'My  sins  are  washed  away 
Through  the  blood  of  the  Lamb," 

with  the  chorus, 

"Glory  to  the  Lamb,"  etc. 

Only  a  few  lines  had  been  sung  before  I  realized 
my  faith  strengthening.  Suddenly  the  clouds 
broke,  the  witness  came  and  right  there  at  my 
father's  family  altar,  about  midnight,  March  10, 
1865,  God  graciously  spoke  peace  to  my  troubled 
soul.  Glory  to  God!  Oh,  what  a  change!  But  a 
few  moments  before  I  was  struggling  under  the 
agony  of  a  guilty  conscience  and  could  hear  the 
thunderings  of  Sinai.  Now  Jesus  had  revealed  Him- 
self and  all  was  changed.  No  condemnation  re- 
mained. The  smiles  of  a  reconciled  God  decorated 
the  heart  which  but  a  few  moments  before  was  a 
dungeon  of  woe.  That  the  work  was  wrought 
could  not  be  questioned  by  myself  nor  those  pres- 
ent. I  knew  that  I  had  "passed  from  death  unto 
life,''  and  I  proved  by  blessed  experience  that  "He 
pardons  like  a  God." 

While  my  conversion  was  not  marked  by  those 
striking  manifestations  that  characterize  many 
early  experiences,  yet  I  discovered  that  every  frame 
and  every  emotion  harmonized  with  the  Word  of 
God.  I  was  inexpressibly  joyous.  That  night  was 
the  most  blessed  night  I  had  ever  known.  The 
greater  part  of  it  I  remained  awake  praising  the 
Lord.    In  that  blissful  state  of  mind  I  continued 


32 


LIFE  AND  LABORS  OF 


for  several  days.  I  had  entered  upon  a  new  life 
and  the  "mighty  to  save"  was  my  theme  and  glory. 
I  took  delight  in  witnessing  to  His  "wondrous 
grace,"  His  "boundless  love."  I  had  certainly  en- 
tered upon  a  state  of  ''intensified  happiness  and 
pleasurable  excitement  of  the  sensibilities." 

Having  been  reared  from  early  childhood  under 
the  ministry  of  men  eminent  for  piety  and  "mighty 
in  the  Scriptures,"  I  had  a  jjretty  clear  understand- 
ing of  the  theory  of  Bible  holiness.  Entire  sanc- 
tification  had  been  presented  as  an  experience  to 
be  distinctly  sought  and  obtained.  I  believed  in 
the  doctrine. 

Soon  after  my  conversion  I  discovered  the  im- 
purities of  my  nature  and  sinful  tendencies  began 
to  assert  themselves.  To  yield  to  those  tendencies 
meant  to  renounce  the  Christ  who  had  so  graciously 
delivered  me  from  bondage.  That  I  could  not  do. 
I  was  conscious  there  were  higher  attainments  for 
me  and  was  ready  to  seize  upon  everything  that 
promised  to  help  me  on  in  my  heavenward  course. 
To  have  every  carnal  element  removed  was  my 
heart's  desire,  yet  to  seek  purity  seemed  a  great 
undertaking.  But  I  dared  not  limit  the  power  of 
God.  To  say  that  the  soul  could  not  be  cleansed 
from  the  pollution  of  sin  would  be  to  pronounce 
the  atonement  incomplete,  that  Christ  failed  to  ac- 
complish the  purpose  for  which  He  came  into  the 
world,  namely,  to  "save  His  people  from  their  sins." 

The  remains  of  pride,  anger,  self-will,  love  of 
the  world,  unbelief,  and  such  like,  over  which  I 
triumphed  through  grace,  were  already  struggling 
to  regain  their  lost  dominion.    And  I  realized  that 


BURTON  K.  JONES 


33 


this  struggle  against  inward  corruption  would  ren- 
der it  exceedingly  difficult  for  me  to  live  a  life  of 
constant  devotion  to  God.  I  reasoned  that  from 
the  very  nature  of  things  it  must  be  easier  to  over- 
come the  world  and  Satan  when  sin  is  removed 
from  the  heart.  My  highest  ambition  was  to  be 
wholly  the  Lord's,  to  be  fully  prepared  to  do  His 
will.  Knowing  that  justification  could  be  retained 
only  in  obedience  to  the  Spirit  I  desired  at  once  to 
enter  upon  my  purchased  inheritance. 

On  the  evening  of  March  13,  18G5,  three  days 
after  my  conversion,  I  responded  to  the  invitation 
to  seek  a  clean  heart.  Bowing  at  the  sacred  altar, 
I  began  the  work  of  complete  self-dedication  to 
God.  As  item  after  item  of  consecration  was  pre- 
sented my  heart  readily  responded  to  the  claims  of 
God.  Faith  began  to  "lend  its  realizing  light"  and 
I  was  confident  that  if  I  asked  anything  according 
to  the  will  of  God  He  would  hear  me.  It  was  His 
will  that  I  should  be  sanctified  wholly.  The  strug- 
gle was  short.  The  consecration  being  completed, 
by  faith  the  promise  was  appropriated,  grace  tri- 
umphed and  I  received  the  witness  of  the  Spirit 
that  the  offering  was  accepted  and  my  heart 
cleansed.  Oh !  what  a  sense  of  purity.  The  God  of 
purity  reigned  supremely  in  my  heart.  My  love 
to  God  was  intensified  a  hundredfold  and  it  seemed 
that  no  hardship  could  be  too  great  to  endure  for 
His  sake. 

I  began  at  once  to  testify  to  the  great  grace  I  had 
so  bounteously  received,  and  seemed  to  gain 
strength  with  every  testimony.  The  prayer  and 
class-meetings  and  other  means  of  grace  were  sea- 


84 


LIFE  AND  LABORS  OF 


sons  of  special  delight  I  had  stated  hours  for 
private  devotion;  and,  while  my  prayers  were  not 
so  very  private  (usually  being  heard  all  through 
the  house),  those  seasons  alone  with  God  were  a 
means  of  strength  and  inspiration  to  my  soul.  The 
early  attainment  of  a  clear  personal  experience  in 
holiness,  the  formation  of  regular  habits  of  devo- 
tion and  of  promptness  in  discharging  duty,  have 
been  of  inestimable  value  to  me  in  my  Christian 
life  and  work. 

My  own  experience  confirms  me  in  the  belief  that 
it  is  God's  will  that  the  young  convert  should  be 
made  perfect  in  love  soon  after  conversion.  In  the 
meantime  the  soul  is  in  a  sort  of  transition  state, 
but  God  does  not  design  that  this  state  of  things 
shall  be  protracted.  Hence  persons  embrace  full 
salvation  more  naturally  during  the  first  year  of 
their  Christian  experience,  and  are  more  likely  to 
retain  it  than  those  who  have  long  professed  relig- 
ion without  it.  Mr.  Wesley  doubtless  held  this 
view  of  the  matter  when  he  exhorted  his  ministers 
to  "urge  the  converts  on  to  holiness." 

Soon  after  I  experienced  this  grace  I  was  re- 
ceiY-ed  on  trial  in  the  Free  Methodist  church,  and 
was  baptized  and  admitted  to  full  membership  at 
the  end  of  six  months'  probation,  having  never  be- 
longed to  any  other  church. 

During  the  winter  of  1865-6  I  taught  the  public 
school  at  G  ,  my  old  home  district.  A  num- 
ber of  the  students  w^ere  my  former  schoolmates. 
I  received  a  salary  of  twenty-five  dollars  per  month 
with  the  privilege  of  "boarding  around;"  but  be- 


BURTON  II.  JONES 


85 


ing  partial  to  my  mother's  cooking  and  to  my  own 
bed  I  boarded  at  home  the  most  of  the  time. 

The  Lord  helped  me  in  my  school  work.  I 
opened  each  session  with  singing,  a  Scripture  les- 
son and  prayer.  Those  were  times  when  the  Bible 
was  more  generally  recognized  as  an  instrument  of 
popular  education,  and  that  it  could  not  be  neg- 
lected without  the  risk  of  morally  wrecking  the 
children  and  the  nation.  The  great  body  of  the 
wisest  and  best  men  of  all  nations  have  testified 
to  the  efiScacy  of  the  Bible  as  containing  a  "basis 
of  morality  superior  to  any  other  source  of  instruc 
tion,"  and  also  as  "pointing  out  the  strongest  mo- 
tives to  such  morality."  Various  forms  of  evil 
threaten  the  national  life,  and  it  is  high  time  for 
the  American  people  to  "lay  anew,  in  Bible  truth 
and  morality,  through  their  educational  system, 
the  foundation  for  the  old  moral,  civic  and  political 
virtues  which  are  the  glory  as  well  as  the  safety 
of  the  nation."  The  Bible  is  the  one  book  essen- 
tial in  American  education,  and  any  attempt  to 
make  instruction  of  American  youth  in  American 
schools  either  godless,  or  atheistic,  or  agnostic,  or 
Roman  Catholic,  should  be  immediately  suppressed. 


CHAPTER  V. 


My  consecration  remained  to  be  tested.  I  had 
often  felt  that  if  I  ever  became  a  Christian  I  would 
have  to  jjreach  the  gospel.  This  feeling  cast  a  dark 
shadow  over  my  life  fjrevious  to  my  conversion,  but 
it  seemed  to  have  been  hidden  from  me  during  my 
struggles.  After  my  conversion  I  was  prepared 
to  listen  to  the  voice  of  God. 

The  abiding  impression  was  made  upon  my  heart 
by  the  Holy  Spirit  that  '"a  dispensation  of  the 
gospel  is  committed  unto  me" ;  "for  necessity  is  laid 
upon  me;  yea.  woe  is  unto  me,  if  I  preach  not  the 
gospel  I"  The  "why  and  wherefore"  of  this  divine 
commission  were  not  revealed  to  me,  but  I  was 
in  a  state  of  m.ind  to  respond  fully  to  the  Mas- 
ter's call.  To  me  it  seemed  that  to  be  instrumental 
in  the  salvation  of  one  soul  would  repay  for  the 
labors  and  sacrifices  of  a  lifetime.  I  there  decide^! 
that,  God  helping  me,  no  soul  should  ever  perish 
through  any  criminal  neglect  of  mine. 

A  little  over  a  year  after  my  conversion  a  paper 
was  placed  in  my  hand  which  read  as  follows : 

"This  is  to  certify  that  Burton  R.  Jones  is  authorized  to 
officiate  as  an  exhorter  in  the  Free  Methodist  church  for 
one  year :  provided  his  spirit  and  practise  are  such  as  be- 
come the  gospel  of  Christ,  and  his  teachings  correspond 
with  the  established  doctrines  of  the  Holy  Scriptures  as 
held  by  said  church. 

"By  order  of  the  official  board  of  Asbury  and  Greigs- 

36 


BURTON  R.  JONES 


37 


ville  circuit,  in  session  at  Retliany,  New  Yorii,  August  18, 
18GG.  J.  W.  Reddy,  Chairman  pro  tern.'' 

Thus  commissioned  of  God  and  authorized  by 
the  church  I  commenced  to  fill  appointments  on 
the  circuit  as  directed  by  my  pastor,  Rev.  M.  C. 
Burritt. 

By  that  time  conditions  had  shifted  somewhat. 
The  authorities  had  closed  the  doors  of  the  Method- 
ist church  aj^ainst  the  new  organization  and  their 
meetings  were  being  held  in  my  father's  parlor.  It 
was  there  I  made  my  first  attempt  to  expound  the 
Word  of  God,  using  for  a  text  St.  Mark  13:37, 
"What  I  say  unto  you,  I  say  unto  all,  watch." 
I  did  not  attempt  anything  elaborate,  but  simply 
dwelt  upon  the  importance  of  watching,  1.  Our 
thoughts.  2.  Our  words.  3.  Our  actions.  4.  Our 
spiritual  condition.  5.  For  opportunities  to  do 
good.  6.  For  the  Master's  coming.  The  result  of 
my  effort  was  not  at  all  flattering.  My  mother's 
only  compliment  was,  "I  think,  my  boy,  you  had  a 
rather  hard  time."  I  became  fully  convinced  that 
the  art  of  preaching  was  not  so  easily  acquired 
as  an  on  looker  might  imagine.  Still  I  was  not 
discouraged. 

The  circuit  at  that  time  embraced  LeRoy,  As- 
bury,  Bethany  and  Greigsville.  The  preacher  in 
charge  prepared  a  plan  of  appointments,  and  local 
preachers  and  exhorters  were  given  regular  employ- 
ment on  the  Sabbath.  In  those  days  men  were  not 
licensed  merely  as  a  compliment  or  for  ornamen- 
tal purposes.  Brother  M.  H.  Boyd,  also  converted 
in  the  revival  of  1865,  often  accompanied  me  to  my 
appointments,  and  his  earnest  prayers  and  exhorta- 


38 


LIFE  AND  LABORS  OF 


tions  added  greatly  to  the  interest  of  the  meetings. 
He  is  now  an  ordained  local  preacher  on  the  old 
home  circuit. 

In  the  winter  of  1866-7,  I  assisted  in  special  meet- 
ings at  the  Bethany  appointment.  At  the  opening 
service  a  good  Brother  Taylor,  since  gone  to  his  re- 
ward, discouraged  by  the  former  indifference  of  the 
people,  arose  and  said,  "Young  men,  I  have  no 
faith  that  you  will  accomplish  anything  here.  I 
am  acquainted  with  the  people  for  miles  around,  and 
I  am  satisfied  they  are  gospel-hardened.  Your  la- 
bors will  certainly  be  in  vain."  His  remarks,  of 
course,  were  not  calculated  to  inspire  courage  in 
the  young  workers,  but  we  were  looking  to  a  higher 
source  for  our  inspiration  and  were  in  no  wise  dis- 
heartened over  the  old  brother's  lack  of  faith.  We 
knew  our  Commander  had  won  on  many  a  sharply 
contested  battle-field,  and  we  were  not  counting  on 
defeat  there. 

With  sanctified  fearlessness  we  leveled  our  bat- 
teries right  on  the  citadel  of  sin  and  when  the 
groans  of  the  wounded  and  the  agonies  of  the  dy- 
ing were  heard  we  made  no  apologies,  but  pressed 
the  battle  to  the  gates.  At  the  end  of  a  two  weeks* 
siege  a  goodly  number  had  surrendered  to  Christ 
and  were  saved,  while  others  had  been  sanctified 
wholly.  Near  the  close  of  the  series  of  meetings, 
while  the  converts  were  enjoying  a  praise  service, 
old  Brother  T.,  referred  to  above,  arose  and  with 
tearful  eyes  and  trembling  voice  exclaimed,  "Thank 
God  for  such  a  work  of  grace.  This  is  what  I 
have  been  looking  for  for  years."  Like  many  others 
under  similar  circumstances,  the  good  brother  got 


BURTON  U.  JONES 


38 


his  faith  in,  but  it  was  a  little  late  for  practical 
purposes.  How  often  the  work  of  soul-saving  is 
hindered  bj  the  church  through  lack  of  faith,  off- 
setting God's  ability  with  discouraging  conditions. 

During  the  following  summer  I  attended  the  Wy- 
oming, New  York,  camp-meeting,  which  was  in 
charge  of  Rev.  Henry  Hornsby,  chairman.  The 
power  of  God  was  remarkably  displayed  and  much 
choice  fruit  was  gathered  for  Christ.  My  brother 
Frank  was  graciously  saved  at  that  meeting,  and 
gave  promise  of  becoming  efiScient  in  the  work  of 
the  Lord.  He  was  regarded  as  the  coming  preacher 
of  our  family.  He  was  gifted,  less  retiring  than 
myself,  and  had  he  remained  true  to  God,  doubt- 
less he  would  have  become  an  able  minister  of  the 
gospel.  But  worldly  ambitions  gained  the  ascend- 
ency, he  fell  away  and  has  given  his  life  to  secular 
pursuits. 

Having  been  blessed  in  my  labors  as  an  assistant 
to  the  pastor,  I  flattered  myself  that  there  were 
sufiBcient  reasons  why  I  should  be  permitted  to  con- 
tinue my  labors  in  that  capacity.  But  a  greater 
test  awaited  me.  The  question,  "Are  you  willing  to 
leave  your  pleasant  home,  kind  friends,  brothers 
and  sisters,  and  go  out  among  strangers  and  point 
sinners  to  Christ?"  settled  with  irresistible  weight 
upon  my  mind.  I  realized  that  to  refuse  would  be 
equivalent  to  breaking  my  covenant  with  God.  That 
I  would  not  do.  After  a  long  and  severe  struggle 
my  faith  triumphed,  and  I  could  say  with  a  will- 
ing heart,  ^^Thy  ivill  he  done.^^  I  believed  that  if 
I  could  not  glorify  God  as  fully  in  my  present  re- 
lation as  in  some  other  sphere  He  would  set  before 


40 


LIFE  AND  LABORS  OF 


me  an  open  door  that  no  man  could  shut.  I  awaited 
God's  time. 

During  the  latter  part  of  1866,  the  first  copy  of 
The  Free  Methodist,  the  weekly  organ  of  the  new 
denomination,  appeared,  edited  by  Rev.  Levi  Wood. 
The  paper  was  neat  and  attractive  in  appearance 
and  filled  with  interesting  matter.  It  was  destined 
to  become  an  important  factor  in  the  work  of  the 
church.  Up  to  that  time  the  church  had  been  op- 
erating with  only  a  monthly  periodical,  The  Earnest 
Christian,  edited  by  Rev.  B.  T.  Roberts,  to  repre- 
sent its  interests.  I  was  a  subscriber  for  the  first 
issue  of  the  new  paper,  and  have  been  a  regular 
reader  of  its  columns  ever  since. 


CHAPTER  VI. 


In  the  fall  of  1807,  soon  after  the  adjournment 
of  the  Michigan  annual  conference,  I  received  a 
letter  from  Rev.  B.  T.  Roberts,  saying,  ''A  place 
has  been  provided  for  you  on  Coldwater  circuit 
with  a  most  excellent  brother,  W.  D.  Bishop.  Get 
settled  convictions  of  duty  and  abide  by  them."  A 
strange  sensation  came  over  me.  The  struggle  was 
renewed  and  various  questionings  arose.  My  par- 
ents were  unwilling  that  I  should  leave  home.  Be- 
ing young  and  frail  in  body  such  a  step  seemed 
almost  presumptuous.  My  mind  became  deeply  ex- 
ercised over  the  matter,  although  I  succeeded  in 
concealing  my  feelings,  in  a  measure,  from  my 
friends.  My  faith  in  God  remained  unwavering 
as  I  laid  the  case  before  Him.  It  w^as  my  earnest 
prayer  that  if  God  willed  I  should  go  to  Michi- 
gan He  would  influence  my  parents  to  give  their 
consent.  The  prayer  of  faith  led  to  the  ultimate 
solution  of  all  my  perplexities.  The  next  morning 
as  my  dear  mother  met  me  she  said,  "Well,  Burton, 
if  you  are  satisfied  the  Lord  wants  you  in  Michigan 
you  can  go."  All  doubts  were  at  once  removed  and 
the  Lord  seemed  to  say  more  distinctly  than  ever, 
"This  is  the  open  door,  step  into  it."  That  was  a 
critical  period  in  my  life.  Occupying,  as  I  now 
do,  a  standpoint  from  which  I  can  overlook  the 
whole  field,  it  is  easy  to  see  how  a  mistaken  choice 

41 


42 


LIFE  AND  LABORS  OF 


at  that  point  might  have  changed  my  whole  life. 
The  Lord  directed  the  decisions  I  formed. 

"There's  a  divinity  that  shapes  our  ends, 
Rough  hew  them  though  we  may." 

Assured  that  God  is  with  those  who  are  provi- 
dentially guided,  and  having  become  satisfied  that 
the  ''pillar  of  fire"  pointed  westward,  I  took  my 
first  plunge  into  the  "stream  of  life"  far  away  from 
my  own  home  and  friends.  Bidding  adieu  to  par- 
ents and  friends,  I  wended  my  way  toward  my  ap- 
pointed field  of  labor.  I  made  a  short  stop-over 
in  Detroit,  visiting  my  brother  Charles  and  his 
family.  Not  being  a  Christian  my  brother  enter- 
tained some  misgivings  as  to  the  success  of  my 
new  undertaking,  yet  he  did  not  attempt  to  dis- 
courage me.  He  felt  quite  confident,  however,  that 
I  had  not  struck  the  road  to  wealth  or  fame. 

On  my  arrival  at  Coldwater,  Michigan,  I  was 
cordially  received  by  Brother  and  Sister  W.  D. 
BishofJ,  whom  I  was  to  assist  in  the  work  of  the 
circuit.  A  pleasant  home  had  been  provided  for 
me  with  the  family  of  Brother  Darius  Tinkham. 
A  more  suitable  place  could  not  have  been  selected. 
Being  of  a  very  retiring  disposition  and  a  great 
lover  of  home,  the  fatherly  interest  Brother  T. 
took  in  my  case,  and  the  kindness  shown  by  the  en- 
tire family  were  a  source  of  great  encouragement 
to  me. 

In  the  Michigan  conference  I  found  myself  asso- 
ciated with  such  noble,  self-sacrificing,  godly  men 
as  E.  P.  Hart,  C.  S.  Gitchell,  John  Ellison,  A.  V. 
Leonardson,  and  others. 


BUKTON  It.  JONE8 


43 


In  addition  to  the  City  of  Coldwater,  the  circuit 
included  North  and  South  Quincy,  Sherwood  and 
Eckford,  involving  about  one  hundred  miles  travel 
every  round  we  made.  Having  no  "rig"  of  my  own 
and  no  means  with  which  to  purchase  one,  Brother 
T.  very  kindly  furnished  me  a  horse  and  saddle 
and  in  primitive  itinerant  style  I  ''rode  the  circuit" 
during  the  year. 

At  South  Quincy  I  always  received  a  hearty  wel- 
come at  the  pilgrim  home  of  Brother  John  Nichols. 
For  some  time  after  my  arrival  on  the  circuit  I 
suffered  with  frequent  attacks  of  homesickness, 
usually  coming  on  soon  after  sundown.  To  think 
of  home  at  such  times  was  often  attended  with  a 
flood  of  tears.  In  those  days  Southern  Michigan 
abounded  in  marshes  well  stocked  with  frogs.  Dur- 
ing the  evening  hours  as  I  listened  to  the  music  of 
the  frogs  they  all  seemed  to  join  in  one  grand  cho- 
rus, "Homesick,  homesick,  oh!  how  homesick."  I 
suffered  intensely.  Had  not  the  fathers  and  moth- 
ers of  the  church  been  very  considerate  of  my  feel- 
ings and  treated  me  kindly,  in  all  probability  I 
should  have  become  discouraged  and  returned  to 
my  father's  home.  A  very  little  unkind  criticism 
and  cold  treatment  would  doubtless  have  disheart- 
ened me.  How  important  that  the  church  exercise 
patience  toward  the  young  preachers.  They  have 
much  to  learn  and  much  to  discourage  them.  A 
warm  welcome,  a  hearty  good  cheer,  a  word  of  ap- 
preciation will  often  give  new  inspiration  to  the 
young  itinerant  who  may  be  pressed  with  discour- 
agement and  temptation. 

A  few  weeks  after  my  arrival  on  the  circuit 


44 


LIFE  AND  LABORS  OF 


Brother  Bishop  arranged  for  me  to  hold  a  series  of 
meetings  at  Sherwood,  in  the  first  Free  Methodist 


FIRST  FREE  METHODIST  CHURCH  OF  MICHIGAN.  BUILT  AT  SHER- 
WOOD BY  REV.  JOHN  ELLISON,  AND  DEDICATED  BY  REV. 
JOSEPH  TRAVIS  IN  18GG 

church  erected  in  the  state  of  Michigan.  As  I  never 
had  charge  of  such  a  meeting  before  the  responsi- 


BUKTON  K.  JONES 


45 


bility  seemed  great.  My  headquarters  were  at 
Brother  John  Newton's,  near  the  church.  In  that 
humble  log  cabin  home  1  received  a  hearty  wel 
come.  Great  was  my  surprise,  however,  on  learn- 
ing  that  Brother  N.,  with  all  his  devotion  and  earn- 
estness, was  a  pro-slavery  Democrat.  Being  of 
strong  abolition  principles,  I  had  not  supposed 
there  was  any  salvation  for  an  advocate  of  human 
slavery  short  of  a  thorough  renunciation  of  his 
political  faith.  I  had  been  educated  to  believe 
that  the  terms  "democrat"  and  "devil"  were  nearly 
synonomous.  There  were  some  things  for  me  yet  to 
learn.  To  me  it  seemed  strange  that  even  an  apolo- 
gist for  slavery  should  have  found  his  way  into  the 
Free  Methodist  church.  But  inasmuch  as  the  ques- 
tion had  been  forever  settled  in  the  nation,  I  con- 
tented myself  with  simply  expressing  my  sentiments 
without  arousing  any  political  strife.  Thus  the 
pro-slavery  leaven  lost  its  strength. 

At  first  the  people  were  drawn  to  the  meetings 
through  a  curiosity  to  see  and  hear  the  "boy 
preacher,"  as  I  was  commonly  called  in  those  days. 
The  w^ork  steadily  advanced,  with  enough  opposi- 
tion and  persecution  to  render  it  exceedingly  in- 
teresting. A  goodly  number  of  young  people  were 
^'onverted  during  the  meeting,  the  most  of  whom 
united  with  the  Free  Methodist  church.  After  that 
meeting  I  had  no  more  attacks  of  homesickness, 
having  become  fully  absorbed  in  what  was  to  be 
my  life  work. 

Soon  after  this  engagement  closed  I  received  or- 
ders to  move  on  the  enemy's  works  at  Eckford, 
Michigan.  Here  I  was  kindly  entertained  at  the 


46 


LIFE  AND  LABORS  OF 


home  of  Brother  and  Sister  Jennings.  Brother  Clif- 
ford Barrett,  known  as  the  "happy  Alleghenian," 
assisted  in  this  meeting.  His  smiling  counte- 
nance, cheerful  spirit,  earnest  prayers  and  ex- 
hortations, and  his  aptness  in  saying  the  right 
thing  at  the  right  time  added  much  to  the  interest 
and  success  of  the  meeting.  The  members,  though 
few,  laid  siege  to  the  throne  of  grace,  and  God 
honored  our  faith  and  efforts  in  a  gracious  out- 
pouring of  the  Holy  Spirit.  As  a  result  a  number 
were  saved,  several  sanctified  wholly,  and  the  pil- 
grims greatly  strengthened  and  encouraged  and  the 
society  enlarged. 

Among  those  converted  at  that  meeting  was  John 
Mains,  a  thrifty  farmer  of  the  community.  Being 
a  man  of  good  mind  and  strong  personal  character, 
and  having  experienced  a  thorough  work  of  grace 
in  his  heart,  he  gave  promise  of  becoming  a  use- 
ful man  in  the  church.  His  gifts  were  soon  recog- 
nized by  the  church  and  in  due  time  he  was  licensed 
to  preach  and  afterward  ordained  deacon.  It  was 
evident  the  Lord  had  a  greater  field  of  usefulness 
for  him,  but  he  shrank  from  entering  the  itineracy 
and  spent  his  life  in  digging  for  treasures  on  the  old 
farm  in  Eckford.  For  one  called  of  God  to  "min- 
ister in  holy  things"  to  devote  his  whole  life  to  secu- 
lar pursuits  is  fraught  with  serious  consequences. 
The  bitter  regrets  of  wasted  years  cannot  be  re- 
moved in  this  life.  Even  repentance  and  forgive- 
ness of  God,  though  a  priceless  boon,  cannot  bring 
back  those  wasted  years  nor  restore  those  ruined 
powers. 

In  the  early  spring  of  1868  Brother  Bishop  re- 


BURTON  R.  JONES 


47 


signed  the  circuit  in  view  of  removing  te  California 
for  his  health,  and  I  was  duly  installed  preacher 
in-charge.  This  increased  my  cares  and  seemed  like 
a  great  responsibility  for  an  inexperienced  boy  to 
undertake.  But  with  the  assistance  of  some  faith- 
ful local  preachers — John  Billings,  E.  B.  Williams 
and  others — the  appointments  were  regularly  sup- 
plied until  conference. 

The  following  was  my  plan  of  appointments  for 
Coldwater  circuit — a  plan  for  giving  the  local 
preachers  regular,  systematic  employment: 


AppoiQtments 

a 

>> 

es 

June 

July 

August 

CO 

31 

7 

14 

21 

28 

5 

n 

19 

2 

9 

16 

•23 

30 

6 

13 

Coldwater  

10:30 

3 

1 

5 

1 

3 

1 

3 

1 

B.  R.  Jones..No 

.1 

Sherwood   

10:30 

1 

5 

1 

3 

1 

5 

1 

6 

E.  B.  Williams.' 

2 

4:00 

1 

5 

1 

3 

1 

5 

1 

4 

John  Billings..' 

'  3 

10:30 

1 

3 

1 

f 

1 

4 

1 

2 

John  Newton...' 

'  4 

S.  Quincy.  . 

10:30 

2 

1 

4 

1 

2 

1 

G 

1 

F.  Downing  ' 

6 

N.  Quincy  

3:00 

2 

1 

4 

1 

2 

1 

6 

1 

F.  Tomlinson..' 

1 

6 

At  the  quarterly  conference  held  at  Dundee^ 
Michigan,  January  18,  1868,  I  received  my  first 
local  preacher's  license,  signed  by  E.  P.  Hart,  chair- 
man. 

At  a  country  appointment  called  East  Quincy 
lived  Perry  Jones,  a  well-to-do  farmer.  He  was 
leader  of  the  class  at  that  point.  In  those  days  the 
use  of  tobacco  was  not  a  bar  to  membership  in  the 
Free  Methodist  church.  Brother  J.  professed  holi- 
ness and  at  the  same  time  indulged  in  the  use  of  to- 
bacco.   To  me  the  habit  seemed  to  be  a  practical 


48 


LIFE  AND  LABORS  OF 


contradiction  of  one's  profession  of  heart  purity. 
On  one  occasion  as  he  took  out  his  tobacco  box  in 
my  presence,  I  said,  "Brother  J.,  St.  Paul  says, 
'Whether  therefore  ye  eat,  or  drink,  or  whatsoever 
ye  do,  do  all  to  the  glory  of  God.'  Now,  do  you 
use  tobacco  to  the  glory  of  God?"  After  a  few  mo- 
ment's reflection  he  replied,  '"I  have  never  consid- 
ered it  in  that  light  before.  I  cannot  say  that  it 
glorifies  God  particularly."  ''Very  well,  then," 
said  I,  "you  know  your  duty."  Being  a  sincere  and 
conscientious  man  he  needed  no  further  argument 
to  convince  him  of  his  duty,  and  away  went  his 
tobacco.  Would  that  all  professing  Christians  were 
as  susceptible  to  scriptural  reasoning  as  was 
Brother  J. 

At  a  camp-meeting  held  in  that  neighborhood  in 
August,  1868,  Brother  J.'s  daughter  Rosalie  was 
blessedly  saved.  The  day  following  her  conversion 
she  went  into  a  deep  agony  of  soul  for  an  unsaved 
companion.  For  several  hours  she  was  lost  to 
earthly  scenes  and  had  visions  of  the  future  state 
of  the  saved  and  of  the  unsaved.  Her  experience 
created  a  profound  impression  throughout  the  en- 
tire community. 

During  the  summer  of  1868  a  district  quarterly 
meeting  was  held  in  the  Wesleyan  church  at  Cold- 
wRter  of  which  Rev.  G.  A.  Olmstead  was  pastor. 
Rev.  E.  P.  Hart,  chairman,  had  charge  of  the  serv- 
ices. It  was  there  I  first  met  that  fearless  cham- 
pion of  the  truth.  Rev.  John  Ellison.  There  was  a 
large  gathering  of  the  pilgrims  at  that  meeting. 
The  Holy  Spirit  was  richly  outpoured  and  precious 
fruit  was  gathered  to  Christ.    Surprised  at  the 


BURTON  K.  JONES 


49 


large  attendance,  some  one  inquired  where  so  many 
Free  Methodists  came  from.  To  which  Brother 
George  Moyer,  of  Sherwood,  replied,  "Why,  tlie 
woods  are  full  of  them."  Jn  those  pioneer  times 
the  pilgrims  were  wont  to  drive  long  distances  to 
attend  the  general  gatherings.  Brother  Olmstead 
was  captivated  by  the  evidences  of  God's  presence 
and  approval  and  soon  after  identified  himself  with 
the  Fi-ee  Methodist  church,  remaining  in  the  active 
ministry  until  failing  health  compelled  him  to  su- 
perannuate. 

Before  leaving  home  my  father  "set  me  up  in 
business"  by  allowing  me  the  proceeds  of  a  i)atch 
of  onions  which  I  cultivated.  With  the  profits  of 
this  crop  I  purchased  a  pair  of  turkeys,  which  I 
exchanged  for  a  pig,  which  I  fattened  and  ex- 
changed for  sheep,  which  increased  until  I  had 
enough  to  purchase  a  colt  which  grew  to  be  a  horse, 
which  was  sold  for  one  hundred  dollars,  which  was 
applied  on  another  horse  which  I  purchased  be- 
fore leaving  the  Coldwater  circuit. 

I  closed  my  first  year's  labor  full  of  faith  and 
courage,  with  an  encouraging  increase  in  member- 
ship, having  received  a  salary  of  ov.t'  hundred  and 
thirty-ono  dollars  and  board. 


CHAPTER  VII. 


The  Michigan  conference  held  its  fourth  annual 
session  in  the  "White  church"  at  Kaisinville,  Michi- 
gan, September  10-15,  ISGS.  I  was  one  of  a  class 
of  five  who  were  received  on  trial  at  that  session 
of  the  conference.  Holloway  Sawyer,  who  labored 
acceptably  until  superannuated  in  1886,  and  I  are 
the  only  members  of  the  class  who  have  continued 
steadily  with  the  church.  W.  H.  James,  one  of  the 
five,  left  the  church  and  engaged  in  secular  busi- 
ness for  several  years.  Later  he  returned,  broken 
in  health,  but  hoping  to  receive  a  respectable  burial 
among  the  people  of  his  early  choice. 

The  conference  session  was  very  harmonious  and 
attended  with  a  marked  degree  of  the  Holy  Sjjirit's 
presence  and  power.  My  first  intimation  that  I 
was  not  to  be  returned  to  the  Cold  water  circuit, 
came  when  the  president  read,  "Raisinville  circuit, 
B.  R.  Jones.''  I  had  been  encouraged  to  believe  I 
would  be  returned,  and  my  removal  was  somewhat 
of  a  disappointment,  yet  not  at  all  serious,  as  I 
was  fully  consecrated  to  go  anywhere  in  the  order 
of  Providence.  The  question  of  salary  or  circuit 
conditions  did  not  enter  into  the  consideration. 
There  were  but  few  well-developed  circuits  in  those 
pioneer  days,  and  our  work  was  to  "strengthen 
the  things  that  remained"'  and  push  out  into  the 
"regions  beyond."    Circuits  had  to  be  made.  The 


50 


BURTON  R.  JONES 


61 


most  we  could  expect  from  the  conference  was  a 
"hitching-post,"  and  from  that  we  were  expected 
to  branch  out  and  build  up  circuits  and  districts. 

On  the  bank  of  the  river  liaisin,  ten  miles  west 
of  the  city  of  Monroe,  stood  the  historic  Atkin- 
son residence,  then  occupied  by  Jonathan  Atkin- 
son and  his  noble  wife  Carrie,  both  of  whom  are 
now  at  rest.  They  generously  set  apart  a  room  for 
me  and  there  I  established  my  headquarters. 

Grandmother  A —  was  still  living.  For  many 
years  she  and  her  husband  had  been  devoted  Quak- 
ers. Before  the  Civil  Wslv  their  home  was  used  as 
a  station  on  the  "underground  railway,"  leading 
from  the  slave  states  to  ('anada.  Many  a  poor  slave 
had  been  entertained  there  and  aided  in  his  flight 
to  the  land  of  freedom. 

Raisinville  circuit  embraced  a  large  field.  In 
addition  to  the  societies  already  organized,  requir- 
ing the  pastor's  care  and  attention,  there  were  open 
doors  in  every  direction.  Besides  three  regular  ap- 
pointments each  Sabbath  I  had  several  during  the 
week.  At  the  Plues'  schoolhouse  appointment  I 
had  a  warm  supporter  in  the  person  of  John  Plues, 
converted  under  the  labors  of  Rev.  E.  P.  Hart.  In 
the  neighborhood  of  the  ''red  schoolhouse"  I  ever 
found  a  warm  welcome  at  the  home  of  Charles  and 
Wallace  Farrington,  both  of  whom  are  forever  at 
rest.  Brother  and  Sister  H.  H.  Ranch,  having  set- 
tled near  the  "White  church,"  were  among  our 
most  devoted  and  reliable  members  at  that  point. 
Near  that  church  lived  two  sisters — Adaline  and 
Emeline  Rogers.  Their  mother  was  a  strong  Spirit- 
ualist and  sought  to  train  her  children  in  that  be- 


52 


LIFE  AND  LABORS  OF 


lief,  but  the  daughters  had  been  graciously  saved 
and  were  eflScient  workers  in  our  meetings.  A  few 
years  later  the  former  became  the  wife  of  Rev. 
E.  Mathews  and  the  latter  the  wife  of  Professor 
Clark  Jones. 

The  kindness  shown  me  over  the  entire  circuit 
afforded  me  inexpressible  satisfaction  and  inspired 
me  with  additional  courage.  I  felt  assured  that 
God,  who  had  called  me  to  the  work,  designed  that 
I  should  succeed.  And  I  am  fully  convinced  that 
God  never  calls  a  i>erson  to  the  work  of  the  gospel 
ministry  to  suffer  defeat.  The  divine  call  once  fully 
settled  should  be  regarded  as  a  guarantee  of  suc- 
cess, provided  the  one  thus  called  keeps  in  divine 
order. 

During  the  early  part  of  1860  we  held  a  ^'pro- 
tracted  meeting"  in  the  Close  Communion  Baptist 
church,  at  the  ''Macon"  api)ointment,  a  few  miles 
from  the  village  of  Milan.  Si.sters  Reves,  Lewis, 
Davis  and  a  few  other  sisters  were  our  principal 
supporters  at  that  f)oint.  The  men  had  held  aloof 
from  the  church  thus  far. 

For  three  weeks  the  battle  was  pressed.  No  idols 
were  spared.  Secret  societies,  the  tobacco  habit, 
pride  and  worldliness  of  every  form  received  heroic 
treatment.  As  might  be  expected  we  met  with  bit- 
ter opposition  from  members  of  the  lodge  system 
and  from  formal  and  worldly  professors  of  relig- 
ion. But  God  was  for  us  and  displayed  His  power 
in  a  remarkable  manner,  ^ome  who  had  made 
high  fjrofessions  while  walking  in  fellowship  with 
the  world  melted  down,  surrendered  to  God  and 
were  blessedly  saved.    Several  prominent  citizens 


BURTON  K.  JONES 


53 


publicly  renounced  their  allegiance  to  the  Christ- 
less  fraternities  and  pledged  to  keep  themselves 
^'free  to  follow  the  will  of  the  Lord  in  all  things." 
Over  a  score  of  souls  were  soundly  converted  to 
God,  among  whom  were  several  heads  of  families, 
who  afterward  joined  the  Free  Methodist  church. 
The  results  were  very  encouraging  to  the  little  class 
which  had  been  struggling  so  heroically  to  main- 
tain the  real  work  of  God  in  the  community. 

Brother  C.  F.  Irish,  a  deacon  in  the  church,  who 
had  been  deeply  prejudiced  against  the  doctrine 
and  work  of  holiness,  and  entangled  with  secret 
orders,  broke  loose  and  "launched  out  into  the 
deep."  As  he  went  bounding  through  the  aisle  in 
an  ecstasy  of  joy,  he  exclaimed,  "Thank  God !  there 
is  not  much  difference  between  a  free  Baptist  and 
a  Free  Methodist."  Meeting  with  strong  opposi- 
tion in  his  own  church  he  soon  united  with  the 
Free  Methodists.  In  due  time  he  was  licensed  to 
preach,  received  into  the  traveling  connection  and 
became  one  of  our  most  acceptable  preachers,  fill- 
ing some  of  our  most  important  appointments  in 
Michigan  and  Ohio. 

The  fact  that  nearly  all  of  the  converts  at  that 
meeting  united  with  the  Free  Methodist  church 
quite  naturally  created  some  jealousy  among  the 
other  churches.  A  demand  was  made  that  we  be 
more  moderate  in  our  exercises,  under  penalty  that 
in  case  of  persistence  the  church  would  be  closed 
against  us.  Having  had  no  experience  in  ark 
steadying,  I  simply  encouraged  the  pilgrims  to  keep 
blessed  and  exercise  their  liberty.    That  they  did, 


54 


MFE  AND  LABORS  OF 


and  it  was  made  a  pretext  for  closing  the  church 
against  our  services. 

The  weather  being  warm,  Brother  Irish  put  his 
hay  barn  in  condition  and  we  opened  meetings 
there.  By  that  time  curiosity  and  excitement  were 
at  a  high  tension  and  the  people  gathered  in  crowds 
to  our  services.  When  the  cold  season  arrived 
Brother  Irish  opened  his  house  to  us  and  there  we 
held  services  for  a  short  time  when  circumstances 
necessitated  another  change.  We  then  procured  an 
old,  abandoned,  log  schoolhouse  near-by  where  we 
enjoyed  some  refreshing  seasons  together.  Soon  it 
was  whispered  about  the  neighborhood  that  the 
windows  had  been  sold  out  of  the  old  schoolhouse, 
and  the  query  arose,  ''What  will  the  Free  Method- 
ists do  now?"  It  was  a  severe  test  of  our  faith, 
but  God  being  in  the  movement  there  could  be  no 
failure.  It  became  apparent  that  in  order  to  es- 
tablish our  work  in  that  community  we  must  have 
a  house  of  worship  of  our  own,  and  immediate 
steps  were  taken  in  that  direction.  An  unsaved 
man  donated  a  lot  in  a  very  desirable  location.  Sis- 
ter Davis'  husband,  also  unsaved,  became  inter- 
ested in  the  enterprise  and  made  possible  the  erec- 
tion of  a  commodious  church. 

On  September  22,  1870,  a  plain,  substantial 
church,  centrally  located  on  the  "Macon,"  was  dedi- 
cated to  the  worship  of  God.  Rev.  Joseph  Travis 
was  present  and  preached  an  able  discourse,  much 
to  the  edification  of  the  large  audience.  The  event 
was  a  great  victory  for  the  cause  of  an  earnest 
Christianity.  The  saints  rejoiced  in  the  possession 
of   a  house  in  which  they  could  worship  God  in 


BURTON  R.  JONES 


55 


the  Spirit  without  fear  of  molestation.  The  com- 
munity had  long  suffered  for  the  need  of  "applied 
Christianity."  A  people  were  needed  who  would 
take  more  interest  in  society,  from  the  view-point 
of  morality ;  a  people  who  would  so  live  and  act 
in  ail  the  relations  of  life — private,  business,  so 
cial,  and  political — that  their  influence  on  the  pub- 
lic would  count  for  the  good.  Such  a  people  God 
had  raised  up  for  Himself  at  the  "Macon"  appoint- 
ment. 

On  September  10,  1869,  on  a  camp-ground  near 
Mooreville,  the  Michigan  conference  was  called  to 
order  by  Superintendent  Roberts.  At  this  session 
I  had  my  first  experience  as  secretary  of  an  annual 
conference.  Our  class  of  five  passed  in  the  first 
year's  course  of  study  and  were  continued  on  trial. 
The  stationing  committee  returned  me  to  the  Rais- 
inville  circuit. 

Before  entering  on  another  year's  work  I  made 
my  annual  visit  to  my  New  York  state  home.  On 
reaching  the  station  at  Monroe  an  unusual  delay 
in  trains  was  announced.  This  was  somewhat  dis- 
appointing. Having  received  but  one  hundred  and 
forty  dollars  during  the  year  my  financial  resources 
would  not  admit  of  a  protracted  lay-over.  Soon, 
however,  a  good  brother  came  along  and  placed  a 
bank  note  in  my  hand,  thus  providing  for  addi- 
tional expenses.  This  providence  served  to  strengthen 
my  faith  in  the  Infinite  Father.  A  few  hours  later  I 
was  seated  at  my  father's  fireside  surrounded  by  a 
happy  company  of  loved  ones. 

The  regular  quarterly  meeting  for  the  Greigsville 
circuit  was  in  progress  at  that  time,  in  charge  of 


56 


LIFE  AND  LABORS  OF 


Rev.  F.  J.  Ewell.  It  was  my  privilege  during  that 
meeting  to  stand  beneath  the  roof  under  which  I 
was  cradled  and  jjoint  old  friends  and  schoolmates 
to  ''the  Lamb  of  God,  which  taketh  away  the  sin  of 
the  world. ' 

Unusual  interest  attached  to  this  annual  visit  to 
my  home  town.  One  whom  I  had  known  from 
childhood,  one  possessing  rare  merits  and  attrac- 
tions, had  been  chosen  as  the  partner  of  my  life. 
She  was  converted  and  wholly  sanctified  during 
the  meetings  in  which  I  was  saved  in  1865,  and 
had  become  one  in  spirit  and  purpose  with  myself. 
Accordingly,  October  7,  1869,  Miss  Ella  M.  Boyd 
and  I  became  mutual  sharers  in  the  joys  and  sor- 
rows of  life. 

On  returning  to  our  circuit  we  lost  no  time  in 
addressing  ourselves  to  the  work  of  soul-saving. 
We  occupied  the  ''prophet's  room"  at  the  Atkinson 
home  for  a  few  months  and  then  set  up  housekeep- 
ing in  Milan,  a  little  village  at  the  head  of  the 
Saline  river.  The  village  was  a  hot-bed  of  Uni- 
versalism.  There  was  but  one  church  edifice  in 
the  place  and  that  was  open  for  all  denominations. 
For  one  young  in  experience  to  attempt  a  siege  on 
this  stronghold  of  Satan  with  no  Free  Methodist 
society  in  the  place,  seemed  almost  presumptuous. 
It  being,  however,  but  about  two  miles  from  the 
red  schoolhouse  appointment  where  we  had  a  num- 
ber of  true,  stalwart  pilgrims  who  could  be  relied 
on  in  close  conflict,  and  having  implicit  confidence 
in  the  God  of  battles,  we  opened  fire  on  the  town 
January  9,  1870. 

So  soon  as  it  was  ''noised  abroad"  that  the  peo- 


BURTON  R.  JONES 


57 


pie  ''everywhere  spoken  against"  were  holding 
meetings  in  the  Union  olnirch,  great  curiosity  was 
awakened.  Brothers  Hart,  Ellison,  Gitehell  and 
Mathews  were  present  at  different  times  during  the 
meeting  and  assisted  in  the  preaching.  For  one 
month  the  battle  raged  and  God  wrought  power 
fully  through  His  own  chosen  instrumentalities. 
Many  had  "neyer  seen  it  on  this  wise  before."  I)ur 
ing  this  time  the  church  people  of  the  village  held 
three  donation  parties  and  other  social  functions, 
thus  lending  their  influence  to  stifle  conviction  and 
hinder  the  work  of  God.  Evidently  that  which  is 
most  dangerous  to  His  cause  Satan  watches  most 
closely,  strikes  hardest  against  and  opposes  most 
fiercely.  The  Universalists  made  a  desperate  charge 
upon  us,  publicly  denouncing  me  as  a  "false  teach- 
er" and  "deceiver  of  the  people."  But  their  bitter 
denunciations  reacted  on  themselves,  drove  the 
saints  nearer  to  God  and  resulted  in  greater  vic- 
tories for  the  truth.  Thus  the  "wrath  of  man" 
was  made  to  "work  the  righteousness  of  God." 

The  "true  light"  shone  through  the  darkness  of 
unbelief  and  skepticism  and  the  people  began  to 
abandon  their  false  hopes  and  spurious  religions 
and  embrace  the  living  Christ.  A  few  were  bless- 
edly saved,  a  Free  Methodist  society  organized  and 
the  work  of  God  established  in  the  place.  While 
this  society  has  met  with  alternate  successes  and 
reverses  during  the  long  period  of  its  existence, 
there  is  still  a  remnant  remaining  who  have  not 
bowed  the  knee  to  Baal,  but  are  contending  ear- 
nestly for  the  true  faith  in  opposition  to  the  formal- 
ism and  worldliness  that  surrounds  them,  and  are 


68 


LIFE  AND  LABORS  OF 


honored  with  repeated  visitations  of  old-time  bless- 
ing and  power. 

Among  those  converted  at  that  meeting  were 
Alonzo  Bramen  and  his  wife  Eunice.  Brother  B. 
had  been  trying  hard  to  rest  in  the  Universalists' 
hope,  but  being  convinced  under  the  light  of  the 
gospel  that  Christ  is  the  only  sure  foundation  on 
which  to  build,  he  accepted  the  true  Savior.  The 
genuineness  of  his  conversion  was  apparent  to  all, 
^.nd  during  his  short  probation  he  was  a  faithful 
member  of  the  new  society.  In  about  six  months 
Brother  B.  passed  triumphantly  through  the  silent 
valley,  waving  his  hands  in  token  of  the  glorious 
victory  he  had  gained  through  the  Christ  he  had  so 
recently  learned  to  love  and  trust.  Sister  B.,  after- 
ward the  wife  of  Dudley  Stoddard,  remained  true 
to  God,  became  an  evangelist  in  the  church,  and 
for  several  years  had  the  pastoral  charge  of  cir- 
cuits in  the  North  Michigan  conference.  She  is 
still  a  faithful  member  of  the  church  of  her  early 
choice. 

About  that  time  I  learned  a  lesson  that  has 
proven  very  valuable  to  me  in  my  ministry.  Often 
in  my  early  experience  I  would  become  almost  dis- 
couraged while  listening  to  the  experiences  of  some 
who  had  been  saved  from  grossly  immoral  lives.  At 
times  I  would  almost  cast  away  my  confidence  be- 
cause in  my  experience  there  were  none  of  those 
dark  chapters  full  of  blood-curdling  scenes  such 
as  I  had  heard  others  relate.  But  the  Holy  Spirit 
taught  me  the  lesson  I  needed  to  know.  By  ob- 
serving carefully  the  lives  of  converted  criminals 
and  discovering  their  frequent  lack  of  stable  Chris- 


BURTON  R.  JONES 


59 


tian  character,  I  saw  clearly  that  while  the  grossly 
immoral  are  vastly  better  for  having  repented  of 
their  crimes  than  they  would  have  been  without 
repentance,  yet  it  would  have  been  better  far  had 
there  been  no  occasion  for  such  repentance. 

Having  learned  my  lesson,  which  I  have  never 
forgotten,  and  being  conscious  that  God  had 
wrought  a  great  deliverance  in  my  case,  I  addressed 
myself  with  renewed  diligence  to  the  duties  of  my 
sacred  calling,  knowing  that  to  my  own  Master  I 
must  stand  or  fall. 


CHAPTER  VIII. 


At  the  Michigan  conference  held  at  Holland, 
Ohio,  October  2,  1870,  I  was  ordained  deacon  by 
Sui>erintendent  Roberts.  At  that  conference  I  was 
appointed  to  the  Mansfield  and  Windsor  circuit. 
Though  it  was  far  from  my  former  field  of  labor, 
1  was  well  satisfied  with  the  appointment.  The 
Michigan  conference  then  embraced  the  states  of 
Michigan,  Ohio.  Indiana,  and  the  Dominion  of 
Canada,  Hence  long  moves  were  included  among 
the  unpleasant  experiences  the  early  itinerant  wa.s 
required  to  undergo. 

Soon  after  conference  I  had  my  first  experience 
in  packing  household  goods  and  moving  a  family. 
But  my  heart  was  in  the  work  and  I  was  ready  for 
labor  and  sacrifice.  In  those  early  years,  however, 
it  did  not  seem  so  great  a  task  to  pack  up  and 
move  about  the  country  as  it  has  seemed  to  be  in 
later  years.  Doubtless  this  is  true  of  all  as  they 
advance  in  life. 

■The  long  drive  to  our  new  circuit  included  sev- 
eral nights  out  among  strangers.  Hotel  accommo- 
dations being  limited  we  were  sometimes  obliged 
to  drive  well  into  the  night  before  being  able  to  find 
entertainment.  On  reaching  our  circuit  we  spent 
the  first  night  at  the  home  of  Brother  John  Os- 
walt, a  local  preacher.  A  few  weeks  later  we  were 
cozily  settled  in  our  own  home  in  Mansfield,  Ohio. 

60 


BUKTON  li.  JONES 


Ul 


Up  to  that  time  the  Free  Methodist  church  had 
no  law  prohibiting  the  use  of  tobacco  by  its  mem- 
bers. At  the  general  conference  held  at  Aurora, 
Illinois,  in  1870,  a  proposed  amendment  to  the  Gen- 
eral Rules  forbidding  ''Chewing,  snuffing  or  smok- 
ing tobacco  for  the  gratification  of  a  depraved  ap- 
petite" was  adopted  and  submitted  to  the  several 
annual  conferences,  and  by  them  adopted  by  large 
majorities,  thus  becoming  the  law  of  the  church. 
This  law  was  interpreted  as  being  applicable  to 
those  already  in  the  church,  as  well  as  to  those  who 
might  apply  for  admission.  But  the  qualifying 
clause,  "for  the  gratification  of  a  depraved  appe- 
tite," had  a  tendency  to  make  the  rule  ineffective. 
It  was  soon  discovered  to  be  only  a  retreat  for  the 
tobacco-using  member,  thus  rendering  the  enforce- 
ment of  the  rule  very  embarrassing  to  the  adminis- 
trator. With  amazing  rapidity  the  relish  for  the 
forbidden  article  w^as  lost  and  its  use  continued 
only  as  a  remedy  for  some  grievous  malady.  Some 
used  it  because  they  were  "too  fat,"  others  because 
they  were  "too  lean";  some  for  "indigestion,"  oth- 
ers for  "heart  weakness";  some  for  the  "kidneys," 
others  for  "corns";  for  all  of  which  that  little 
clause  made  ample  provision. 

Thus  it  continued  until  it  became  evident  to 
many  that  unless  some  heroic  measures  were 
adopted  the  church  would  soon  become  only  an  asy- 
lum for  weaklings.  Accordingly,  in  1882,  the  gen- 
eral conference  submitted  an  amendment,  readily 
adopted  by  the  annual  conferences,  expunging  the 
objectionable  clause,  and  interpreting  the  law  as 
forbidding  not  only  its  use  but  even  the  "growing, 


G2 


LIFE  AND  LABORS  OF 


manufacture  and  sale  of  tobacco."   Thus  the  lin^ 

were  gradually  tightening,  more  thorough  measures 
adopted,  and  admission  to  membership  in  the 
church  becoming  more  difficult.  And  the  tendency 
of  the  church,  as  indicated  by  the  action  of  her 
legislative  bodies,  has  ever  been  toward  more  strin- 
gent measures  instead  of  lowering  the  standards 
already  adopted. 

About  the  time  of  the  general  conference  at 
Aurora,  in  1870,  the  question  of  abolishiDg  the 
general  superintendency  was  being  agitated  in 
some  quarters.  The  general  conference  then  had 
power  to  make  such  a  change  in  the  Discipline 
without  the  concurrent  action  of  the  annual  con- 
ferences. The  question  was  considered  at  the  Au- 
rora conference  and  that  body  submitted  to  the  an- 
nual conferences  an  amendment  placing  the  Gen- 
eral Superintendency  under  the  restrictive  rules. 
The  amendment  was  adopted  by  the  annual  confer- 
ences, thus  placing  that  office  where  it  cannot  be 
abolished  without  the  concurrent  action  of  the 
general  and  annual  conferences. 

I  will  now  return  to  the  account  of  my  home 
work.  We  received  a  warm  welcome  on  our  Ohio 
circuit.  At  the  homes  of  Brothers  Ximan,  Garri- 
son, Oswalt,  Riley,  Williams,  Miller,  and  Sisters 
Hout,  Kauffman,  Evart  and  others  we  were  always 
warmly  received.  We  began  with  two  societies, 
three  regular  appointments  and  several  "open 
doors."  We  spent  the  most  of  our  time  on  the  field 
attending  regular  services  and  doing  pastoral  work. 

I  organized  the  first  Free  Methodist  society  in 
Mansfield,  December  2,  1870,  at  the  home  of  Thomas 


BURTON  R.  JONES 


68 


Riley.  An  entry  in  my  diary  says  of  those  who 
united,  "I  have  confidence  in  the  devotion  and  in- 
tegrity of  every  one  of  them.  I  trust  they  will 
prove  true  to  their  sacred  obligations  and  accom- 
plish a  glorious  work  for  God  in  this  city."  Later 
Brother  Riley  entered  the  itineracy  and  for  several 
years  took  work  in  the  Michigan  conference,  doing 
effective  service  for  the  Master.  Under  pressure  he 
left  the  church,  and  for  a  number  of  years  has  been 
engaged  in  secular  pursuits,  with  a  fair  prospect 
of  dying  poor. 

On  February  8,  1871,  I  performed  my  first  mar- 
riage ceremony,  the  contracting  parties  being  Wil- 
liam Hout  and  Emma  Gates.  I  was  unusually 
impressed  with  the  solemnity  of  the  marriage  cov- 
enant. To  many,  marriage  is  little  more  than  a 
mere  impulse  or  business  transaction.  In  order  to 
true  and  wise  marriage  there  must  be  that  pure 
and  exclusive  afl'ection,  that  courage,  fidelity  and 
endurance  that  will  sustain  the  contracting  parties 
in  the  dark  and  trying  hours  that  attend  the  path- 
way of  every  family. 

En  route  to  conference  in  1871  we  spent  one  Sab- 
bath with  the  pilgrims  in  Cleveland.  During  that 
trip  we  crossed  Lake  Erie  for  the  first  time,  reach- 
ing Spring  Arbor,  the  seat  of  conference,  Septem- 
ber 28th.  It  was  there  I  first  met  Rev.  William 
Gould,  and  was  edified  by  his  clear,  earnest  expo- 
sition of  the  Word  of  God. 

That  session  was  made  historic  by  the  inaugura- 
tion of  a  movement  to  establish  a  denominational 
school  within  the  bounds  of  the  conference.  E.  P. 
Hart,  L.  T.  Frink,  J.  T.  Gates,  Charles  Mattice, 


64 


LIFE  AND  LABORS  OF 


D.  W.  Tinkham,  were  made  a  committee  to  nego- 
tiate with  a  committee  to  be  appointed  by  the  citi- 
zens of  Spring  Arbor  for  the  purchase  of  property 
at  that  x>l^('6-  For  various  reasons  but  little  was 
done  the  first  year  toward  establishing  the  pro- 
posed school. 

At  the  next  annual  session  another  committee 
was  appointed,  vested  with  full  powers  to  establish 
the  school  and  set  it  in  operation.  Accordingly  a 
ten-acre  tract  of  land,  with  two  old  college  build- 
ings upon  it,  in  the  village  of  Spring  Arbor,  was 
purchased.  Necessary  repairs  were  made  and  in  the 
summer  of  1873  a  short  term  of  school  was  held, 
with  Professor  Clark  Jones  as  principal.  A  few 
years  later  a  central  brick  building  was  erected, 
necessitated  by  the  growth  of  the  school. 

The  establishing  and  building  up  of  this  impor- 
tant enterprise  has  involved  sacrifice  on  the  part 
of  both  its  patrons  and  its  instructors.  The  admin- 
istration of  Professor  Jones  was  followed  by  that  of 
Walter  A.  Sellew,  Albert  H.  Stilwell,  Charles  P. 
Tiffany,  David  S.  Warner,  and  Burton  Jones  Vin- 
cent. It  has  ever  been  the  purpose  of  the  managers 
of  the  institution  to  make  its  spiritual  interests 
keep  pace  with  the  educational,  and  that  it  should 
continue  to  be  a  desirable  place  for  parents  to  edu- 
cate their  children. 

My  second  year  on  the  Mansfield  and  Windsoi* 
circuit  was  more  fruitful  than  the  first.  The  spe- 
cial meetings  resulted  in  the  ingathering  of  a  goodly 
number  of  souls. 

On  January  18,  1872,  by  invitation  of  Brother 
A.  M.  Shipley,  I  went  to  Mt.  Vernon,  Ohio,  with 


BURTON  R.  JONES 


65 


the  intention  of  holding  some  meetings  in  tliat  city. 
On  my  arrival  I  was  informed  that  because^  of  op 
])OHition  from  a  certain  (piarter  my  coming  had  not 
been  announced.  However,  we  were  determined  to 
follow  the  "pillar  of  fire"  wherever  it  might  lead. 
After  consultation  with  the  brethren  it  was  decided 
that,  under  existing  conditions,  Brush  Run,  a  point 
thirteen  miles  in  the  country,  ofered  a  more  fav- 
orable opportunity  for  successful  meetings  than 
appeared  at  Mt.  V.  Accordingly  an  appointment 
was  circulated  and  in  the  name  of  the  Lord  we  set 
up  our  banners  at  Brush  Run.  The  Lord  set  His 
seal  upon  the  first  service.  The  schoolhouse  which 
we  occupied  soon  proved  altogether  too  small  for 
the  occasion.  People  who  had  not  attended  relig- 
ious meetings  for  years  at  once  became  interested. 
Some  who  had  become  discouraged  by  the  indif- 
ference of  the  people  gained  new  inspiration  as  the 
Holy  Spirit  began  to  work.  A  two-weeks'  effort 
resulted  in  the  conversion  of  a  number  of  souls 
and  the  organization  of  a  new  society. 

Father  and  Mother  Shipley  and  their  sons  Ben- 
jamin, Eugene  and  Sherman,  and  their  daughter 
Emeline,  all  members  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal 
church,  being  fully  awake  to  the  departure  of  that 
church  from  original  principles,  and  quick  to  rec- 
ognize the  providence  of  God  in  the  new  move- 
ment, soon  identified  themselves  with  our  work. 

Among  those  converted  at  that  meeting  were  two 
sisters,  Lizzie  and  Mary  Jones,  who  were  very 
clearly  saved  and  developed  into  strong  Christian 
characters,  remaining  true  to  God  and  the  church 
until  called  to  their  reward.    Mary  became  the  wife 


66 


LIFE  AND  LABORS  OF 


of  Rev.  S.  W.  Stone,  and  after  a  few  years'  labor 
in  the  itineracy  passed  to  her  home  above. 

Some  time  after  its  organization  this  society 
changed  its  place  of  meeting  to  Howard,  near  the 
home  of  the  Shipleys.  A  new,  commodious  church 
edifice  was  built  and  the  work  placed  on  a  substan- 
tial basis,  developing  into  what  is  known  at  the 
time  of  this  writing  as  the  Howard  and  Pleasant 
Grove  circuit. 

May  21-23,  1872,  I  was  privileged  to  attend  a 
convention  of  the  "National  Association  of  Chris- 
tian Men  Opposed  to  Secret  Societies,"  held  at 
Oberlin,  Ohio.  President  J.  Blanchard,  of  Whea- 
ton  College,  presided.  Strong  arguments  were 
made  against  the  secret  lodge  system  by  such  able 
men  as  the  president  of  the  convention.  President 
C.  G.  Finney,  of  Oberlin  College,  L.  Bailey,  John 
Levington,  L.  N.  Stratton,  and  others.  That  was 
my  first  and  only  opportunity  of  hearing  the  ven- 
erable President  Finney.  He  was  introduced  amid 
loud  applause.  He  expressed  his  pleasure  at  being 
permitted  to  attend  such  a  convention,  and  said 
in  part,  ''The  time  has  been  in  my  day  when  a  man 
would  as  soon  acknowledge  himself  a  horse-thief 
as  a  Mason.  I  consider  a  Masonic  lodge  no  place 
for  a  Christian."  Masonry  and  Odd-fellowship 
were  the  principal  orders  attacked,  as  but  few  of 
the  minor  orders  of  to-day  existed  at  that  time. 

Such  an  assembly  of  devout  reformers  was  well 
calculated  to  fire  the  heart  of  a  young  man 
who  was  just  becoming  thoroughly  awakened  to 
the  corruption  of  the  secret  lodge  system.  Amid 
the  light  that  has  been  shed  on  such  institutions 


BUKTON  K.  JONES 


67 


during  the  last  half  century,  we  are  left  to  wonder 
how  ministers  of  the  gosi)el  can  justify  themselves 
in  forming  such  unhallowed  alliances  with  the  un- 
believing and  the  wicked. 

While  we  were  living  at  Mansfield  a  striking  in- 
cident occurred   in   an   adjoining  town.    Upon  a 

stage  in  the  church  a  young  man  and  woman 

acted  what  was  termed  the  '^Irish  Girl's  Disap 
pointmeut."  After  some  preliminary  exercises  the 
young  man  feigned  to  drop  dead.  A  company  gath- 
ered around  and  amid  the  pretended  sorrow  and 
tears  of  the  "disappointed  girl"  and  her  attendants 
the  curtain  dropped.  A  few  days  later,  at  eleven 
o'clock,  these  two  young  persons  were  to  have 
been  married.  Prospective  joy  filled  their  hearts. 
But  at  the  hour  appointed  for  the  marriage  cere- 
mony the  young  man  lay  dead.  Thus  the  young 
girl  became,  not  an  imaginary,  but  a  real  mourner. 

What  a  rebuke  to  the  modern  practise  of  profan- 
ing the  house  of  God.  To  convert  the  place  set 
apart  for  the  worship  of  God  into  a  social  parlor, 
festival  hall  or  amateur  theater,  is  a  departure  from 
primitive  Christianity,  which  readily  accounts  for 
the  want  of  spirituality  in  many  churches.  Such 
appeals  to  the  appetite,  and  to  the  passion  for 
pleasure  stimulate  a  false  benevolence  and  benumb 
the  moral  sensibilities. 

While  we  did  not  accomplish  all  that  we  hoped 
for  the  work  on  the  Mansfield  circuit,  yet  we  were 
permitted  to  see  a  few  souls  saved,  two  new  socie- 
ties organized  and  the  general  interests  of  the 
work  greatly  improved. 


CHAPTER  IX. 


At  Delta,  Ohio,  September  20,  1872,  I  was  or- 
dained elder  by  KSuperintendent  Roberts. 

Rev.  L.  Bailey,  of  Illinois,  was  present  at  that 
conference  and  endeared  himself  to  us  all  by  his 
earnest  preaching  and  Christ-like  spirit.  J.  W. 
Vickery  was  delegate  from  Evansville,  Indiana, 
and  being  a  member  of  the  stationing  committee 
had  a  voice  in  deciding  who  should  be  appointed 
to  his  home  circuit.  At  the  close  of  the  conference 
session  I  was  read  off  for  Evansville  and  Ft.  Branch 
circuit.  It  was  fortunate  that  I  was  prej^ared  for 
a  long  move,  as  that  was  the  farthest  point  within 
the  bounds  of  the  Michigan  conference. 

On  October  16th  we  took  train  for  our  new  cir- 
cuit, arriving  on  the  18th.  At  the  home  of  Brother 
and  Sister  J.  W.  Vickery  we  received  a  hearty  wel- 
come. The  work  at  Evansville  was  comparatively 
new.  There  was  a  nev\'  church  edifice  ready  for  ded- 
ication, and  a  comfortable  parsonage  in  process  of 
erection.  A  brief  statement  of  the  jjrovidences 
which  resulted  in  the  organization  of  a  Free  Meth- 
odist church  in  that  city  may  be  of  interest  to  the 
reader. 

In  1870  a  few  well-meaning  people  separated 
themselves  from  a  worldly  church,  having  but  one 
distinctive  issue — ojiposition  to  instrumental  music 
in  public  worship.    Spiritually  they  were  in  about 

68 


BT'KTOX  K.  JONES 


60 


tlio  san  e  condition  as  the  chiircli  they  left.  They 
were  aware  of  the  s})iritual  deartli  in  the  church, 
but  thought  the  organ  must  be  tlie  sole  cause  of 
it,  not  supposing  that  the  indulgence  of  pride  and 
worldliness  and  union  with  Christless  associations 
could  cause  a  breach  of  Christian  faith.  An  or- 
ganization of  about  eighty  members  was  effected, 
called  ''Congregational  Methodists."  Not  being 
based  on  an  issue  warranting  a  distinct  organiza- 
tion, the  movement  was  destined  to  fail. 

During  the  summer  of  1871,  a  Free  Methodist 
jireacher  being  called  for.  Brother  Septer  Roberts 
visited  the  city  for  the  purpose  of  considering  the 
situation.  The  lines  were  closely  drawn,  and  only 
twelve  of  the  number  decided  to  take  the  ''old 
paths."  The  remainder  soon  scattered  as  ''sheep 
without  a  shepherd."  Among  those  who  composed 
the  new  Free  Methodist  society  were  J.  W.  Vickery 
and  wife.  John  Vickery  and  their  two  sisters,  Mrs. 
Allen  and  Sarah  V. 

Sunday,  November  3,  1872,  was  the  date  of  the 
dedication  of  the  new  church.  Rev.  E.  P.  Hart 
was  expected  to  arrive  on  Thursday  to  do  the 
preaching,  but  put  in  no  appearance  until  Satur- 
day night.  Imagine  my  embarrassment  at  having 
to  preach  two  nights  to  disappointed  congregations. 
Sunday  was  a  great  day  for  the  little  society  and 
their  friends.  The  church  was  dedicated  with  ap- 
propriate exercises,  and  Brother  Hart  hastened 
from  the  city  on  an  early  Monday  train. 

It  was  one  month  after  our  arrival  before  the 
new  parsonage  was  ready  for  occupancy.  In  the 
meantime   we    shared    the    warm    hospitality  of 


70 


LIFE  AND  LABORS  OF 


Brother  Vickery's  home.  An  attachment  was  there 
formed  which  steadily  strengthened  with  the  pass- 
ing years. 

Early  in  1873  a  "Macedonian  cry"  reached  us 
from  Bloomfield,  Indiana,  a  small  settlement  about 
twenty  miles  east  of  Kvansville,  along  the  Ohio 
river.  On  February  5th  1  responded  to  the  call  and, 
accompanied  by  Brother  V.,  went  part  of  the  way 
by  rail  and  part  on  horseback  to  B.  There  we 
found  a  small  company  of  earnest  souls  struggling 
under  ecclesiastical  pressure,  supposing  it  to  be 
their  duty  to  be  loyal  to  church  authority,  even 
though  restricted  in  their  religious  liberties.  Under 
such  conditions  it  is  not  surprising  that  they  were 
crushed  in  spirit.  During  the  meetings  which  we 
held  additional  light  shone  upon  their  minds  and 
a  number  pressed  on  to  heights  and  depths  of  ex- 
perience before  unknown  to  them.  The  meetings 
continued  about  eight  days,  resulting  in  the  libera- 
tion of  a  number  of  imi)risoned  souls,  and  the 
organization  of  a  Free  Methodist  society  of  twenty- 
five  members.  It  was  at  that  meeting  that  Brother 
Vickery  made  his  first  attempt  to  preach.  He  was 
helped  of  God  and  afterward  developed  into  an 
ordained  local  preacher. 

Among  the  charter  members  of  this  society  were 
Brother  and  Sister  Sidwell,  who  proved  to  be  true 
and  loyal  supporters  of  the  new  class.  A  few 
years  later  they  removed  to  Spring  Arbor,  Michi- 
gan, where  they  now  live,  holding  steadfastly  in  the 
faith.  Later  on  a  lad  of  rather  unpromising  ap- 
pearance was  saved  at  that  place.  After  his  con- 
version he  began  to  develop  with  surprising  rapidity. 


BUKTOX  K.  JONES 


71 


Having  a  desire  to  gain  an  education  he  worked 
bis  way  to  Spring  Arbor,  wbere  be  took  a  course 
in  tbe  seminary  and  tben  entered  tbe  ministry.  At 
the  present  time  A.  H.  Norrington  is  an  honored 
district  elder  in  tbe  East  Ontario  conference. 

A  few  weeks  before  going  to  conference  that 
year  G.  R.  Thompkins,  then  pastor  at  Lawrence- 
burg,  Indiana,  came  to  assist  me  in  a  grove  meet- 
ing at  Bloomfield.  There  was  an  unaccountable 
lack  of  liberty  at  the  first  service.  Two  services 
were  held  on  Saturday,  but  darkness  prevailed 
throughout  the  day.  Sunday  dawned  beautifully 
upon  us,  and  all  nature  seemed  to  contribute  to 
the  success  of  the  meeting.  The  saints  were  un- 
usually anxious  to  witness  a  complete  victory. 
Love-feast,  preaching,  sacrament  passed  and  still 
the  struggle  continued.  An  almost  irresistible 
force  seemed  to  be  arrayed  against  the  Lord's  hosts. 
The  afternoon  service  began  and  continued  amid 
awful  darkness.  The  benediction  was  pronounced 
and  the  congregation  began  to  disperse.  The  saints 
lingered  about,  reluctant  to  leave  the  place  until 
victory  came.  A  season  of  prayer  was  suggested 
and  the  throne  of  grace  was  besieged  for  immedi- 
ate help.  It  was  our  time  of  need.  Groans  and 
tears  expressed  the  deep  soul-agony  felt  by  some 
whose  helpless  forms  lay  prostrate  upon  the 
ground.  Thus  it  continued  until  time  for  evening 
service.  Intense  excitement  prevailed  throughout 
the  community.  It  was  evident  the  clouds  were 
about  to  break.  A  large  audience  had  assembled  to 
witness  the  closing  scene.  Brother  Thompkins 
made  an  earnest  appeal  to  the  church  to  arise  and 


72 


LIFE  AND  LABORS  OF 


put  on  her  strength,  and  to  sinners  to  yield  to  God. 
Many  hastened  to  the  altar,  some  crying  for  par 
don,  others  for  purity.  The  crisis  was  near.  Such 
a  volley  of  prayer  as  was  poured  out  from  that  altar 
seldom  ascends  to  the  throne  of  grace.  Faith  tri- 
umphed and  the  baptism  of  fire  came.  The  scene 
that  followed  beggars  description.  Leaping,  shout- 
ing, clapping  of  hands,  parents  embracing  their 
children,  while  the  tear  of  joy  coursed  down  the 
furrowed  cheek  of  the  aged  mother  in  Israel.  New- 
born souls  with  beaming  countenances  went  through 
the  audience  urging  their  associates  to  seek  the 
Lord.  Wicked  men  were  awed  into  silence,  and 
God  reigned  most  gloriously. 

Such  a  scene  had  never  been  witnessed  in  those 
parts  before.  God  honored  the  persistent  faith  of 
His  children.  Satan  seemed  to  reign  for  a  season, 
but  the  slowly  gathering  forces  became  irresistible, 
the  saints  prevailed  with  God  and  a  glorious  vic- 
tory followed.  Such  prevailing  prayer,  such  vic- 
torious faith  is  the  need  of  the  church  in  every 
age.  It  is  needed  to  insure  the  salvation  of  souls 
and  the  inspiration  of  God's  people. 


CHAPTER  X. 


The  annual  conference  of  1873  was  held  at  St. 
Johns,  Michigan.  Of  the  ten  preachers  received 
on  trial  that  year  A.  Bradfield  is  the  only  one  re- 
maining in  the  conference  at  this  time  (1909).  He 
has  been  true  to  God  and  the  church  all  these  years 
and  is  now  on  the  superannuated  list,  awaiting  the 
final  summons. 

The  stationing  committee  returned  me  to  Evans- 
ville,  and  the  Lord  set  His  seal  of  approval  on  my 
second  year's  work  in  Southei*n  Indiana.  Several 
impressive  incidents  occurred  during  the  revival 
at  Evansville. 

Miss  Ellen  Hughs,  a  proud,  worldly  church  mem- 
ber, of  a  very  aristocratic  family,  chanced  to  at- 
tend one  of  our  meetings.  She  was  attracted  by 
what  she  saw  and  heard  and  felt  and  became  suffi- 
ciently interested  to  repeat  her  visit.  She  soon  be- 
came deeply  wrought  upon,  bowed  at  the  altar,  and 
after  a  long,  severe  struggle  was  gloriously  saved. 
The  change  was  marvelous.  She  was  flooded  with 
divine  glory  and  the  once  vain,  high-spirited  young 
woman  was  suddenly  transformed  into  an  humble, 
devoted  Christian.  She  at  once  accepted  the  pil- 
grim route  and  united  with  the  Free  Methodist 
church.  Later,  she  removed  to  Michigan,  where 
for  several  years  she  was  a  faithful  evangelist  in 
the  church. 


13 


74 


LIFE  AND  LAB0K8  OF 


In  the  society  at  E.  there  was  an  hnmble,  unas- 
suming Christian  girl  named  Amanda  C.  She  was 
simple-hearted  and  fully  submissive  to  the  will  of 
God.  It  was  not  uncommon  for  her  to  receive  an 
overflow  blessing  in  the  jmblic  congregation.  When 
thus  blessed  she  was  liable  to  shout,  or  jump,  or 
run  down  the  aisle,  or  sit  and  weep.  Her  demon- 
strations never  became  monotonous,  as  there  was 
a  pleasing  variety,  no  '^cut  and  dried"  affair.  The 
Holy  Spirit  seemed  always  to  adapt  the  program 
to  the  occasion.  Every  one  seemed  to  say,  "Give 
Amanda  the  right  of  way,  for  she  is  good." 

One  night  a  very  fashionably  attired  lady  ap- 
peared at  the  altar,  evidently  under  deep  concern 
for  her  soul.  For  several  succeeding  nights  she 
was  among  the  first  to  respond  to  the  altar  call, 
giving  unmistakable  evidence  of  being  deeply  af- 
fected. We  prayed  for  her  and  gave  the  best  in- 
struction we  could,  but  it  was  evident  a  severe 
struggle  was  going  on  in  her  mind.  At  times  her 
countenance  would  brighten  and  it  would  seem  as 
though  she  was  about  to  grasp  the  promise,  then 
suddenly  she  would  relapse  into  a  state  of  dark- 
ness. I  inquired,  "Sister,  where  is  the  difficulty? 
Are  you  not  willing  to  fully  surrender  to  God?" 
"Yes,"  she  replied,  "I  am  willing  He  should  have 
all  and  I  desire  Him  above  everything  else;  but, 
O  Brother  Jones,  I  don't  want  to  act  like  Amanda." 
"Very  well,  sister,"  said  I,  "settle  that  with  the 
Lord.  Whatever  is  satisfactory  to  Him  will  be 
agreeable  to  us."  A  few  more  struggles  and  up 
went  her  hands  as  she  exclaimed,  "Any  way.  Lord." 
Immediately  the  heavens  opened  and  the  uncontain- 


BURTON  R.  JONKS 


75 


able  blessing  fell  upon  her.  A  sudden  shout  burst 
from  her  lips,  she  jumped  to  her  feet  and  went 
bounding  down  the  aisle  just  like  Amanda.  But 
she  was  victorious  then  and  perfectly  satisfied  with 
God's  way  of  saving  and  blessing  her.  Sister 
Perry  became  a  devoted  Christian  and  a  model 
Free  Methodist. 

A  Brother  G — ,  for  years  a  church  member,  but 
without  saving  grace,  attended  our  meetings  and 
became  unusually  interested.  He  was  especially  im- 
pressed with  the  testimonies  he  heard  on  the  line 
of  definite  Christian  experience.  The  doctrine  that 
one  might  know  when  and  where  he  was  converted 
was  new  to  him.  He  took  occasion  to  relate  his 
feelings  to  his  pastor.  "At  the  Free  Methodist 
church,''  he  said,  "they  teach  that  a  person  may 
know  when  he  is  converted.  I  joined  the  church 
when  I  was  young,  have  taken  an  interest  in  the 
w^ork  of  the  church,  but  have  no  knowledge  of  ever 
having  been  converted." 

"My  dear  brother,"  said  the  pastor,  "you  must 
not  cast  away  your  confidence.  You  support  the 
church  well  and  are  more  faithful  in  attending  the 
means  of  grace  than  many  of  my  members.  You 
certainly  are  a  Christian,  and  you  should  not  allow 
those  people  to  confuse  your  mind." 

"Well,  pastor,"  Brother  G —  replied,  "I  must 
have  help.  Will  you  pray  for  me?"  A  prayer  was 
offered.  As  they  arose  the  pastor  said,  "Now, 
Brother  G — ,  hold  your  confidence.  Believe  that 
you  have  it  and  rest  there."  "I  will  try,"  s-aid 
Brother  G,  and  he  went  his  way  saying,  "I  believe 
I  have  it."    He  had  not  gone  far,  however,  before 


76 


LIFE  AND  LABORS  OF 


lie  heard  a  gentle  voice  from  within  saj'ing,  "1 
doubt  it  a  little,  I  doubt  it."  That  little  doubt 
worried  him  for  several  days.  He  continued  to  at- 
tend our  meetings  but  his  unrest  increased.  Broken- 
hearted he  returned  to  his  pastor,  saying,  "I  have 
tried  to  satisfy  myself  by  saying,  'I  believe  I  have 
it,'  but  I  am  continually  annoyed  by  that  little 
monitor  within  which  repeatedly  says,  'I  doubt  it.' 
I  must  have  that  doubt  removed."  They  knelt  in 
prayer.  The  pastor  repeated  a  few  words,  but  to 
no  avail.  Brother  G —  began  to  plead  his  own  case 
before  God.  He  became  so  earnest  that  he  was  no 
longer  embarrassed  by  the  pastor's  presence.  He 
plead  for  deliverance.  ''Lord,"  he  cried,  "I  must 
know  I  am  converted.  Give  me  the  witness  that 
I  am  saved."  A  short  struggle,  a  simple  trust  in 
the  promise  and  it  was  settled.  The  clouds  broke 
and  divine  love  thrilled  his  being.  He  bounded  to 
his  feet  exclaiming,  "I've  got  it  I  I've  got  it!  Glory 
to  God!  I've  got  it."  '-Hold  steady,  my  brother, 
hold  steady,"  said  the  pastor,  "you  are  becoming 
excited."  '^Excitement  or  no  excitement,"  said 
Brother  G — ,  ''I've  got  it  I  hallelujah  I  I  know  I've 
got  it"  As  soon  as  he  had  quieted  down  suffi- 
(iently  the  little  voice  within  said,  "Yes,  you  have 
it  now."  The  good  brother  gained  the  desire  of 
his  heart — the  witness  of  the  Spirit  that  he  was 
a  child  of  God.  It  is  hardly  necessary  to  add  that 
Brother  Goodge  soon  became  an  active  member  of 
the  Free  Methodist  church. 

As  the  discijilinary  limit  of  my  pastorate  on  the 
Evansville  circuit  drew  near,  I  desired  to  make  the 
few  remaining  weeks  contribute  as  much  as  possi- 


BURTON  R.  JONES 


77 


ble  to  the  interests  of  the  work  of  God.  Brotlier 
Sopter  Roberts,  my  chairinaii,  had  notified  nie  that 
he  could  not  attend  ni.y  last  (jnarterly  nieetinj*-,  and 
that  I  should  make  my  own  arrangement  as  to  time 
and  place  of  holding  it.  I  then  felt  free  to  hold 
a  quarterly  meeting  every  week  if  I  chose  to  do  so. 

With  a  company  of  about  a  dozen  Evansville  . 
pilgrims  I  went  to  Bloomfield  to  hold  a  two-days' 
meeting.  Temporary  seats  were  placed  in  the  new 
church  recently  enclosed  and  the  meeting  was  held 
therein.  The  services  were  attended  with  the  gra- 
cious outpouring  of  the  Holy  Spirit.  Sunday  was 
a  sad,  yet  victorious  day.  The  funeral  service  of 
Brother  Marion  Cohoon  and  his  two  children  oc- 
cupied the  morning  hour.  Brother  C.  had  been 
saved  during  our  meetings  there  and  gave  promise 
of  becoming  very  useful  in  the  church.  But  God 
ordered  otherwise  and  he  passed  to  the  church  tri- 
umphant. He  was  the  first  fruit  of  our  work  at 
that  place  to  be  gathered  to  the  garner  above. 

The  following  record  in  my  diary  of  the  closing 
service  of  the  last  quarterly  meeting  of  the  year 
held  at  Evansville,  will  give  some  idea  of  how  the 
year  closed. 

"August  30,  1874.  Spoke  from  Prov.  23:  23. 
The  power  of  God  was  felt.  Three  seekers  at  the? 
altar.  One  saved  and  two  sanctified  and  made  to 
rejoice  in  God.  Blessed  heart-inspiring  scene. 
This  has  been  the  best  quarterly  meeting  held  at 
this  place  during  my  pastorate.  Besides  the  salva- 
tion of  souls,  the  church  has  been  greatly  inspired 
and  encouraged.    Thank  God." 

Another  entry  in  my  diary  gives  a  clear  idea  of 


78 


LIFE  AND  LABORS  OF 


my  estimation  of  the  state  of  the  work  in  E.  at  the 
close  of  the  conference  year : 

"A  blessed  spirit  prevails.  Everything  is  moving 
harmoniously.  There  are  no  schisms  in  the  society. 
All  are  of  one  heart  and  one  spirit.  God  honors 
our  efforts  to  save  the  lost.  There  are  bright  pros- 
pects before  the  church  here  if  they  remain  true  to 
God.  Well  would  it  be  if  the  whole  land  were 
dotted  with  such  societies.  The  memories  of  the 
past,  the  enjoyments  of  the  present,  and  the  pros- 
pects of  the  future  encourage  me  to  exercise  still 
greater  diligence  in  the  service  of  the  Master.  I 
continue  my  work  cheerfully,  prayerfully,  hope- 
fully. Amen." 

My  circuit  being  so  far  from  all  other  parts  of 
the  work,  and  not  having  been  privileged  to  attend 
any  of  the  general  gatherings  of  the  church  during 
the  year,  it  was  a  great  pleasure  to  me  to  meet 
the  good  brethren  at  the  annual  conference  at 
Coopersville,  Michigan,  September  23-27,  1874. 

It  was  at  that  session  that  we  were  called  upon 
to  chronicle  the  death  of  our  beloved  brother,  Henry 
L.  Jones,  who,  during  the  year,  had  passed  triumph- 
antly to  his  eternal  reward.  He  had  become  greatly 
endeared  to  his  brethren  in  the  ministry,  and  was 
highly  esteemed  for  his  simplicity,  deep  piety  and 
earnest  devotion  to  God. 

A  great  surprise  was  held  in  store  for  me  at  that 
session.  It  was  understood  that  sometimes  a 
preacher  was  appointed  to  a  new  part  of  a  circuit 
and  the  old  part  left  "to  be  supplied."  And  inas- 
much as  considerable  new  territory  had  been  added 
to  the  circuit  which  I  had  traveled  for  the  two  pre- 


BT-RTON  R.  JONES 


79 


ceding  years,  it  had  been  whispered  about  tliat  per- 
haps such  a  plan  might  be  practicable  in  my  case 
that  year.  But  the  plan  was  suddenly  frustrated. 
The  ballot  for  chairman  of  Spring  Arbor  and  Kala- 
mazoo districts  resulted  in  my  election  to  that 
office.  The  thought  of  such  an  occurrence  had  not 
previously  entered  my  mind.  For  a  time  I  enter 
tained  grave  doubts  as  to  whether  that  was  the 
line  of  duty  for  me,  but  under  the  persuasion  of 
my  brethren  I  decided  to  accept  the  voice  of  the 
church  as  the  call  of  God  and  go  forward. 

The  growth  of  the  denomination  had  been  such 
that  the  question  of  having  an  additional  general 
superintendent  was  being  discussed  in  some  quar- 
ters. That  very  naturally  suggested  the  question 
of  an  available  candidate.  Near  the  close  of  the 
conference  session  a  resolution  was  offered  instruc- 
ing  our  delegates  to  the  general  conference,  in  case 
that  body  should  decide  to  elect  two  general  su- 
perintendents, to  vote  for  Rev.  Edward  P.  Hart. 
The  idea  was  at  once  advanced  that  his  election 
to  that  office  would  mean  the  loss  of  his  laboi^s 
to  a  great  extent  to  our  conference.  But  regarding 
the  interests  of  the  general  work  as  paramount 
to  those  of  a  single  conference,  the  resolution  was 
enthusiastically  adopted.  Having  been  separated 
from  my  family  for  four  months,  as  soon  as  confer- 
ence adjourned  I  hastened  to  meet  them  in  our 
native  town  in  New  York  state  where  they  had 
spent  the  summer. 

The  general  conference  of  1874  was  held  at  Al- 
bion, New  York.  Being  first  reserve  delegate  from 
the  Michigan  conference  I  was  admitted  to  a  seat 


80 


LIFE  AND  LABOIIS  OF 


in  that  body  iu  the  absence  of  John  Ellison,  the 
regular  delegate. 

J.  W.  Kedd}'  was  ek'cted  secretary  and  B.  R. 
Jones,  \\.  Manning,  J.  (i.  Terrill,  assistants.  Six 
annual  conferences  were  represented,  the  Genesee, 
Illinois,  Susquehanna,  Michigan,  New  York  and 
Minnesota. 

That  was  niy  first  experience  in  a  legislative 
body.  I  found  myself  associated  with  a  class  of 
earnest,  intelligent,  devout  men,  having  positive 
convictions  on  all  questions  relating  to  the  interest 
of  the  church.  The  work  of  the  entire  denomina- 
tion was  carefully  reviewed,  and  such  revisions  and 
changes  made  in  the  Discipline  and  polity  of  the 
church  as  were  deemed  necessary  to  meet  new  con- 
ditions. While  the  element  of  success  is  the  Holy 
Spirit  who  changeth  not,  yet  methods  and  measures 
must  be  changed  to  meet  changing  conditions.  But 
plan  as  wisely  as  we  may,  dependence  on  God  must 
be  entire  and  unreserved,  otherwise  our  best  efforts 
are  fruitless. 

That  differences  of  opinion  should  exist  at  a 
gathering  of  so  many  men  of  strong  personality  is 
not  at  all  surprising.  But  in  all  their  deliberations 
the  spirit  of  brotherly  love  prevailed.  It  seemed 
a  little  strange  to  a  beginner,  however,  that  certain 
ones  should  feel  it  their  duty  to  discuss  nearly  every 
question  that  arose.  But  there  were  a  few  who 
really  appeared  to  think  that  no  question  under 
consideration  could  be  properly  settled  without  an 
expression  of  their  views. 

The  mission  of  the  church  was  ever  kept  in  view 
and  no  attempt  was  made  to  establish  new  doc- 


BURTON  R.  JONES 


81 


trines.  There  was  a  general  feeling  that  ''repen- 
tance toward  (lOd  and  faith  toward  our  l^ord  Jesus 
Christ,"  and  the  sanctitication  of  heart  and  life, 
together  with  those  doctrines  involved  therein,  are 
all  that  is  essential  to  the  salvation  of  mankind. 
Action  was  taken  defining  the  posit^'on  of  the 
church  on  divorce;  making  certificates  of  member- 
ship valid  only  for  one  year;  adding  a  foot-note 
to  the  article  "Of  a  Christian  Man's  Oath,"  favor- 
ing those  who  have  scruples  against  taking  such 
oath ;  the  recognition  of  women  as  evangelists ;  the 
formation  of  our  first  general  missionary  board. 

The  report  of  the  committee  on  General  Super- 
intendency,  recommending  the  election  of  two  gen- 
eral superintendents,  was  adopted,  and  B.  T.  Rob- 
erts and  E.  P.  Hart  were  elected.  How  much  the 
previous  action  of  the  Michigan  conference  had  to 
do  with  the  election  of  the  latter  it  would  be  dif 
ficult  to  determine;  but  his  election  serves  to  prove 
that  said  conference  was  in  line  with  an  overrul- 
ing providence. 

The  religious  services  were  good.  It  was  at  that 
conference  I  first  listened  to  T.  S.  LaDue  and  E. 
Owen.  The  love-feast  and  sacramental  service  the 
last  night  were  profoundly  impressive.  It  was  the 
crowning  service  of  the  occasion.  The  glory  cloud 
burst  and  the  saints  were  thrilled  with  holy  delight. 
It  was  God's  seal  of  approval  of  the  work  of  the 
conference. 


CHAPTER  XI. 


Soon  after  adjournment  of  the  general  conference 
I  began  my  work  as  district  chairman.  The  follow- 
ing was  my  first  list  of  quarterly  meeting  appoint 
ments  published  after  my  election : 

SPRING   ARBOR    DISTRICT  APPOINTMENTS 

Macomb  Oct.  24,  2.j 

Ypsilanti  and  Wayne  Oct.  .31.  Nov.  1 

Huron  Nov.  7,  8 

Jackson  and  Napoleon  Nov.  14,  I'j 

Spring  Arbor  Nov.  21,  22 

Ridgeway,  D.  Q.  M  Nov.  2G,  2D 

Franklin  Dec.  6,  G 

Ransom  Dec.  12,  13 

KALAMAZOO  DISTRICT 

Coldwater,  D.  Q.  M  Dec.  18,  20 

Sberwood  and  Burr  Oak  Dec.  26,  27 

Waverly  and  Paw  Paw  Jan.  1,  3 

Three  Rivers  Jan.  8,  10 

Preachers  please  inform  me  at  what  part  of  their  cir- 
cuits their  quarterly  meeting  is  to  be  held.  Address,  Jack- 
son, Michigan.  B.  R.  Jones. 

Having  twelve  circuits  on  my  districts,  every 
Sabbath  was  occupied  with  a  quarterly  meeting. 
Frequently  I  was  much  helped  in  my  labors,  but 
occasionally  the  wheels  seemed  to  be  clogged.  The 
breezes  were  not  always  favorable.  One  Monday 
morning,  after  returning  from  the  Ridgeway  quar- 


BT^RTON  R.  JONES 


83 


terly  meeting,  a  discouraged  feeling  came  over  me. 
It  must  have  been  one  of  those  "blue  Mondays"  that 
sometimes  contribute  to  make  up  the  itinerant's 
calendar.  In  that  state  of  mind  I  made  the  follow- 
ing entry  in  my  journal :  ''Am  sometimes  at  a 
loss  to  know  what  my  labors  amount  to,  but  I  have 
the  assurance  that  they  are  not  in  vain  in  the  Lord. 
So  I  will  take  courage.  If  good  seed  is  sown  it  is 
sure  to  take  root  and  produce  some  fruit.  There- 
fore, I  will  content  myself  to  remain  in  the  field 
as  long  as  it  is  the  will  of  God  I  should." 

"'December  14,  1874.  On  returning  from  Ran- 
som quarterly  meeting  I  received  word  that  fath- 
er's house  had  burned.  His  loss  is  heavy.  That  is 
one  of  the  misfortunes  of  life  which  to  him,  as 
a  Christian,  must  in  some  way  work  for  good.  Only 
by  the  aid  of  divine  grace  can  we  be  fully  recon- 
ciled to  all  the  providences  that  overtake  us  in  this 
life.  The  storms  which  the  Christian  has  to  meet 
are  sometimes  severe  but  of  short  duration." 

The  responsibilities  of  the  chairmanship  contin- 
ued to  weigh  upon  me.  To  hold  quarterly  meetings 
where  the  pastors  were  men  of  experience  and  abil- 
ity was  very  embarrassing  to  me.  But  the  Master 
continued  to  say,  "Arise;  for  this  matter  belongeth 
unto  thee ;  *  *  *  be  of  good  courage  and  do  it." 
"Lo,  I  am  with  you  alway."  Hearing  His  voice  I 
would  address  myself  to  the  work  with  renewed 
inspiration, 

December  18-20  I  held  my  first  quarterly  meet- 
ing on  the  Cold  water  circuit  where  seven  years  be- 
fore I  had  taken  my  first  appointment.  It  was  a 
great  pleasure  to  meet  with  the  pilgrims  who,  in 


84 


LIFE  AND  LABORS  OF 


my  early  experience,  did  so  much  to  encourage  and 
establish  me  in  the  work  of  God.  Large  crowds 
attended  the  services  and  much  precious  fruit  was 
gathered  for  the  Master. 

On  June  9,  1875,  the  saints  began  to  gather  in 
a  pleasant  grove  near  Napoleon,  Michigan,  it  be- 
ing the  occasion  of  the  district  camp-meeting. 
Brother  G.  W.  Coleman,  who  had  been  engaged  to 
assist  in  the  meeting,  opened  the  services  with  a 
ringing  sermon  from  the  words,  ''What  doest  thou 
here?"  We  were  all  made  to  feel  our  mission  there 
to  be  an  important  one  and  we  gathered  at  the  altar 
seeking  a  special  preparation  for  the  occasion.  The 
Lord  graciously  encouraged  His  children,  and  the 
meeting  continued  in  the  Spirit,  attended  with 
marked  displays  of  divine  power. 

On  the  10th  I  was  called  home  on  account  of  the 
serious  illness  of  my  dear  companion.  I  found  her 
in  a  peaceful  frame  of  mind,  fully  resigned  to  the 
Father's  will.  She  lingered  until  the  16th  and 
passed  to  her  eternal  rest.  This  sudden  and  unex- 
pected bereavement  cast  a  dark  shadow  over  our 
home.  Her  departure  came  at  a  time  when,  to  all 
human  appearance,  we  needed  her  most.  That  she 
should  be  thus  suddenly  removed  in  the  midst  of 
her  usefulness  remains  a  profound  mystery.  Al- 
though dying  in  an  unconscious  state,  her  holy  life 
gave  unmistakable  assurance  of  a  triumphant 
passport  to  the  Celestial  City.  Of  my  state  of 
mind  at  that  time  the  following  record  was  made  in 
my  diary : 

"He  whose  glory  was  the  object  of  her  life  is 
my  Comforter.   There  is  One  from  whom  no  earthly 


BURTON  11.  JONES 


85 


ill  can  separate  lis.  The  lufiuite  Father  supports 
and  comforts  those  who  are  fully  resigned  to  His 
will.  The  grace  which  I  have  so  often  recommended 
to  others  under  similar  circumstances  is  doing  more 
for  me  than  I  had  conceived  it  possible  to  have 
done,  'O  wondrous  grace!'  God  is  my  'refuge  and 
strength ;  a  very  present  help  in  trouble/  Another 
glorified  spirit  has  swept  through  the  gates  of  the 
eternal  city  to  swell  the  grand  chorus  of  the  ra- 
deemed.  How  vain  all  earthly  things  appear;  how 
transient  every  bliss  that  earth  affords.  My  faith 
grasps  the  unseen.  Good  is  the  will  of  God." 

The  following  tribute  to  her  memory  was  writ- 
ten by  Brother  James  W.  Yickery,  of  Evansville, 
Indiana,  and  published  in  The  Free  Methodist : 

"For  some  time  the  impression  has  been  on  my 
mind  that  I  ought  to  write  a  few  lines  about  the 
late  Sister  Jones.  For  weeks  after  her  death  it 
was  difficult  to  believe  that  she  had  gone.  The 
question  would  arise,  Can  it  be  that  at  a  time  when 
true  laborers  are  so  much  needed,  God  has  taken 
one  of  the  purest  and  brightest  examples  we  had 
among  us? 

^'Brother  and  Sister  Jones  were  appointed  in 
1872  to  Evansville  charge,  several  hundred  miles 
from  any  other  Free  Methodist  society,  and  far- 
ther still  from  relatives  and  former  friends.  But 
they  came  among  us  with  as  much  cheerfulness  as 
though  they  had  been  sent  among  old  acquaint- 
ances. We  soon  discovered  that  Sister  Jones  was 
not  only  ^an  helpmeet  for  her  husband,'  but  also 
a  burning  and  shining  light  herself.  I  have  never 
been  acquainted  with  her  equal.    In  m^^  mind  I 


86 


LIFE  AND  LABORS  OF 


can  still  behold  her  uplifted  face,  with  glory  beam- 
ing in  her  countenance,  while  her  faith  was  taking 
strong  hold  of  God.  Many  times  did  the  glory  ot 
God  descend  upon  us  while  our  now  glorified  sister 
was  wrestling  in  prayer  at  the  throne  of  grace. 

^'Sister  Jones  lived  among  us  for  two  years,  and 
I  have  never  heard  a  person  say  that  a  word  or 
act  of  hers  was  unbecoming  the  gospel  of  Christ, 
'We  are  witnesses,  how  holily  and  justly  and  un- 
blamably  she  behaved  herself  among  us.'  She  ap- 
proved herself  'by  pureness,  by  knowledge,  by  long 
suffering,  by  kindness,  by  the  Holy  Ghost,  by  love 
unfeigned.'  She  might  well  say  to  us,  'Follow  me, 
as  I  also  follow  Christ.'  I  have  seen  her  when  her 
restless  babe  would  cry  almost  continuously  day 
and  night,  yet  not  a  syllable  would  escape  her  lips, 
nor  an  expression  show  itself  in.  her  countenance 
that  would  denote  the  least  feeling  of  impatience. 
It  has  not  been  my  privilege  to  be  intimately  ac- 
quainted with  another  who  had  so  completely  'put 
off  the  old  man'  and  'put  on  the  new  man.'  She 
has  gone,  but  her  example  is  left  us  as  a  legacy, 
and  God  will  hold  us,  among  whom  she  labored,  ac- 
countable for  the  use  we  make  of  it.  There  are 
those  in  this  city  who  have  been  raised  up  to  call 
her  blessed.  That  her  mantle  may  fall  on  others, 
is  the  earnest  prayer  of  one  to  whom  she  has  been 
made  a  great  blessing." 

After  spending  a  few  days  at  my  father's  home, 
I  left  my  two  children  in  my  mother's  charge  and 
returned  to  my  former  home  in  Jackson.  But  oh ! 
the  loneliness — the  silence.  Not  a  word,  not  a  foot- 
step.   To  be  separated  from  my  children   was  a 


BUKTON  R.  JONES 


87 


great  affliction.  I  determined  to  turn  my  mind 
fully  on  divine  things,  and  aim  only  at  working 
out  the  purposes  of  God.  I  soon  learned  that  to 
regret  and  benioan  my  condition  would  not  recall 
the  past  nor  restore  the  loss  I  had  sustained.  To 
sympathize  with  myself,  to  worry  over  my  condi- 
tion, would  indicate  lack  of  confidence  in  God  and 
bar  the  road  to  success.  I  decided  to  look  for  com- 
fort rather  than  cherish  leelings  of  gloom  and  des- 
pondency. Resolved  that  no  event  of  providence 
should  cast  a  lasting  shadow  over  my  life,  I  threw 
myself  more  fully  than  ever  into  the  will  and  work 
of  God  and  received  special  divine  help.  I  experi- 
enced peace  like  a  river — deep,  abundant,  abiding. 

On  July  4,  1875,  I  started  out  on  anotlier  round 
of  quarterly  meetings.  En  route  to  my  first  meet- 
ing I  stopped  over  night  at  Dr.  A.  E.  Bulson's,  at 
Gobies,  whose  mother  and  two  sisters  united  with 
the  Free  Methodist  church  during  my  meeting  at 
East  Milan.  On  arriving  at  Johnstown,  Saturday 
afternoon,  where  the  quarterly  meeting  was  to  have 
been  held,  I  was  informed  that  it  had  been  changed 
to  Lawrence,  fourteen  miles  distant.  Of  course  that 
was  somewhat  of  a  disappointment.  Early  in  the 
evening  I  reached  the  home  of  D.  W.  Abrams,  where 
I  was  warmly  received.  I  reached  Lawrence  in 
time  for  the  Sabbath  morning  love-feast.  Of  the 
day's  services  my  diary  reads :  "Love-feast  ran 
well.  The  Lord  graciously  helped  me  in  speaking 
on  Heb.  12 :  28.  I  hope  to  never  become  a  mere  for- 
malist, but  to  keep  filled  with  the  Spirit.  Took 
tea  at  Brother  Erdman's,  who  is  dangerously  sick. 
He  has  been  saved  during  his  sickness.    Spoke  at 


88 


LIFE  AND  LABORS  OF 


night  from  1  Cor.  15 :  34.  Think  a  deep  and  serious 
impression  was  made  upon  the  minds  of  some 
present." 

On  Monday  night  a  large  audience  greeted  me  at 
the  Austin  schoolhouse.  The  service  was  especially 
encouraging.  Brother  J.  W.  Sharpe  met  me  at  that 
point  and  took  me  to  his  home  for  the  night.  I 
found  great  comfort  in  private  prayer.  By  nature 
I  was  not  endowed  with  the  most  sanguine  dis- 
position. With  me  it  was  an  achievement,  a  con- 
quest through  grace.  The  bright  and  warm  sun- 
shine of  the  heart  was  my  sacred  inheritance  by 
spiritual  birth. 

A  large  delegation  from  abroad  gathered  at  the 
district  quarterly  meeting  at  Three  Rivers,  July  9- 
11.  The  preachers  present  were  helped  in  their  la- 
bors and  a  blessed  spirit  prevailed  at  nearly  every 
service.    Of  the  Saturday  night  service  I  find  the 

following  note  in  my  diary  :  "Brother    preached 

a  good  sermon,  but  it  was  so  lengthy  that  the  con- 
gregation was  wearied  and  Ave  did  not  attempt  to 
hold  an  altar  service.  How  strange  that  preachers 
cannot  discover  when  the  wheels  begin  to  squeak. 
Oftentimes  the  spirit  of  a  meeting  is  injured  and 
its  immediate  results  restricted  by  a  long-drawn- 
out  sermon."  But  the  saints  rallied  on  Sunday  and 
victory  came.  Many  soul-stirring  testimonies  were 
offered  and  the  Lord  helped  in  preaching  the  Word. 
The  curiosity  of  the  people  was  greatly  aroused 
and  no  sn:all  number  felt  the  moving  power  of  the 
Holy  Spirit.    The  meeting  closed  gloriously. 

The  quarterly  meeting  at  Ridgeway,  Macomb 
county,  was  a  blesserl  season.    Brother  C.  H.  Sage, 


nnrrox  u.  joxks 


89 


the  pastor,  had  been  greatly  blessed  in  his  labors 
there  and  many  had  been  saved.  The  power  and 
glory  of  God  eanie  upon  the  audience  in  a  remark- 
able manner  during  the  Sunday  morning  service. 
Twenty  eight  persons  united  with  the  church  dur- 
ing the  quarterly  meeting.  I  had  some  precious 
seasons  preaching  the  Word  to  large  audiences. 

August  3,  1875,  I  was  waiting  before  the  Lord 
in  view  of  a  better  preparation  for  the  labors  of 
the  district  camp-meeting  to  begin  the  next  day. 
A  note  from  my  diary  of  that  date  reads:  "In 
my  room  this  morning  waiting  upon  the  Lord.  I 
am  learning  more  perfectly  the  life  of  faith.  I 
know  what  it  is  to  trust  implicitly  in  God  and  not 
be  confounded  amid  the  most  severe  trials.  Only 
the  mighty  arm  could  thus  sustain  me.  I  desire 
still  more  of  the  spirit  of  the  Master  that  my  in- 
fluence for  good  may  steadily  increase.  O  to  dwell 
in  the  'inner  court'  continually,  that  I  may  bear 
more  fruit  and  that  my  fruit  may  remain.'' 

^'August  4. — Reached  Coldwater  camp-ground  to- 
day. Fifteen  tents  up.  We  shall  not  have  many 
tents,  but  we  are  expecting  a  profitable  meeting. 
For  this  we  are  earnestly  praying.  Introduced  the 
services  this  evening  with  a  few  remarks  on  the 
question,  'What  wilt  Thou  have  me  to  do?'  We 
were  all  impressed  that  we  had  a  personal  work 
to  do,  and  that  we  needed  special  help  for  the  oc 
casion.  The  meeting  opens  well.  A  good  feeling  pre- 
vails. Trust  the  salvation  element  will  rise  higher 
and  higher  and  that  many  souls  will  be  redeemed 
to  God." 

This  was  the  first  camp-meeting  of  which  I  had 


90 


LIFE  AND  LABORS  OF 


ever  had  charge.  Our  corps  of  preachers  consisted 
of  John  Ellison,  I.  W.  Bell,  J.  W.  Sharpe,  S.  Mar- 
shall and  A.  Omans.  Our  new  General  Superin- 
tendent E.  P.  Hart  arrived  on  Sunday  and  did  ef 
fective  service.  This  camp-meeting,  as  all  such 
gatherings  should  be,  was  a  means  of  special  en- 
couragement to  the  saints.  They  had  gathered 
from  long  distances,  more  or  less  burdened  and  de- 
pressed by  the  cares  and  jjersecutions  with  which 
they  had  to  wrestle  on  their  isolated  fields.  But  to 
be  thus  assembled  in  true  Christian  fellowship  gave 
new  inspiration  of  courage  and  faith.  "As  iron 
sharpeneth  iron,  so  doth  the  countenance  of  a  man 
his  friend."  Of  one  service  I  made  this  record: 
"A  wave  of  glory  swept  over  the  congregation  at 
the  opening  of  the  service.  The  tide  rose  so  high 
that  Brother  could  not  reach  it  during  his  ser- 
mon. The  power  of  God  was  mightily  displayed. 
Souls  were  set  free.  The  Holy  Spirit  filled  my  souL 
Oh,  what  a  victory  He  gave  me.  The  holy  fire  still 
burns  in  my  heart.  Blessed  freedom  I  Heaven  is 
within.    Praise  the  Lord." 

Thus  the  meeting  continued.  Several  were  saved, 
but  the  more  signal  victories  were  among  the  saints 
who  took  on  new  inspiration  for  the  engagements 
that  were  awaiting  them  on  their  home  fields.  The 
meeting  closed  amid  a  wave  of  glory  as  we  took  the 
final  march  around  the  ground. 

The  next  morning,  August  11th,  Brother  Omans 
took  me  into  his  buggy  and  we  started  across  the 
country,  en  route  for  the  Dover  camp-meeting.  We 
spent  the  noon  hour  at  the  home  of  Brother  Manee, 
near  Ransom,  where  we  were  received  in  true  pil- 


BURTON  R.  JONES 


91 


grim  style.  Arriving  at  Brother  George  Burnap's 
about  dark  we  put  up  for  the  night  and  were  spe- 
cially refreshed  during  family  prayers.  Those  were 
blessed  days  with  Brother  and  Sister  B.  They  were 
wholly  absorbed  in  the  will  of  God. 

On  reaching  the  camp-ground  on  Thursday  we 
found  the  battle  in  full  array.  J.  Cripps,  L.  T. 
Frink,  J.  A.  Wilson,  J.  D.  Hoadley  and  J.  Leisen- 
ring  were  present  in  addition  to  the  ministerial  help 
which  we  had  at  the  Coldwater  meeting.  One  very 
impressive  feature  of  .  this  meeting  was  the  deep 
interest  taken  in  the  prayer  services  in  the  tents. 
Such  pleading  with  God  for  the  success  of  the  meet- 
ing is  seldom  heard.  The  Lord  answered  prayer 
and  much  good  was  done.  Some  w^ere  saved,  others 
wholly  sanctified.  Then  followed  a  good  camp- 
meeting  at  Paw^  Paw,  an  excellent  quarterly  meet 
ingat  Jackson  and  the  record  of  the  conference  year 
closed.  And  what  a  year  I  Toil,  care,  struggle, 
sorrow  and  disappointment,  mingled  with  rest, 
hope,  victory,  satisfaction  and  joy.  The  Father 
knows  it  all. 


CHAPTER  XII. 


September  1-5,  1875,  we  witnessed  the  largest  at- 
tendance ever  known  at  the  Michigan  conference 
up  to  that  time.  The  session  was  held  at  Spring 
Arbor,  and  the  unusually  large  number  of  visitors 
present  was  due  partly  to  the  interest  taken  in  the 
new  school  enterprise  and  in  part  to  a  desire  to 
meet  our  new  General  Superintendent,  E.  P.  Hart, 
who  presided. 

At  that  conference  I  took  my  first  lesson  as  a 
member  of  the  stationing  committee.  I  felt  the  re- 
sponsibility of  my  position  and  sought  special  di- 
vine guidance.  But,  as  is  often  the  case,  after 
planning  the  best  we  knew,  some  of  the  appoint- 
ments were  unsatisfactory  both  to  the  committee 
and  to  others.  I  was  returned  as  chairman  to 
the  Spring  Arbor  and  Kalamazoo  districts.  Of  the 
thirty-two  preachers  in  full  connection  in  the  con- 
ference at  that  time  p],  Leonardson,  J.  W.  Sharpe 
and  myself  are  the  only  ones  remaining  in  the  ac- 
tive work  at  this  time  (1909). 

The  following  expresses  my  estimate  of  the  spirit 
of  the  conference  as  recorded  at  that  time :  ''This 
has  been  a  blessed  conference.  Everything  moved 
off  harmoniously.  The  religious  exercises  were  in- 
teresting and  profitable.  Many  of  our  people  have 
genuine  Christian  experiences  and  a  thorough 
knowledge  of  the  Holy  Spirit's  operations.    An  ex 

92 


BlTtTOX  K.  JONES 


93 


eel  lent  impression  has  been  left  on  tlie  ronimunity." 

After  conference  1  spent  a  few  days  at  my  fath- 
er's home  where  I  had  a  pleasant  visit  with  my 
children.  It  was  then  I  met  my  brother  William 
for  the  first  time  after  his  conversion.  He  was  the 
third  one  out  of  a  family  of  nine  children  to  be 
saved  and  his  conversion  was  a  great  encourage- 
ment to  me.  We  felt  that  God  was  answ^ering 
prayer. 

In  September,  1875,  I  was  called  to  Bloomfield, 
Indiana,  to  dedicate  the  church  that  was  partly 
built  before  I  left  that  circuit.  That  w^as  my  first 
experience  in  dedicating  a  church.  I  found  the 
work  prospering  under  the  faithful  labors  of 
•  Brother  and  Sister  J.  A.  Wilson.  I  need  scarcely 
state  that  it  w^as  a  great  pleasure  to  me  to  meet 
the  pilgrims  on  my  former  field  of  labor.  The  Lord 
came  in  power  at  the  first  service  and  several  pro- 
fessed to  enter  intx)  the  experience  of  holiness. 
Sunday  w^as  a  blessed  day.  The  Lord  gave  me  spe- 
cial help  in  speaking  from  ^'How  amiable  are  Thy 
taVrnacles,  O  Lord  of  hosts!" 

The  following  account  of  the  dedication  was 
written  by  Brother  Wilson  and  published  in  The 
Free  Methodist:  "Twelve  of  the  Evansville  pil- 
grims and  Mrs.  Wilson  and  I  accompanied  Brother 
B.  R.  Jones  to  Bloomfield,  on  October  1,  to  attend 
the  dedication  of  the  new  church.  The  campaign 
was  opened  Friday  night  with  a  soul-stirring  ser- 
mon by  Brother  J.,  follow^ed  by  a  season  of  prayer 
around  the  altar.  Preaching  Saturday  morning 
and  evening,  each  sermon  followed  by  altar  services. 
There  were  times  during  the  preaching  and  altar 


94 


LIFE  AND  LABORS  OF 


services  when  the  tidal  waves  of  salvation  rose  too 
high  to  be  correctly  described  by  tongue  or  pen. 
On  Saturday  evening  a  backslidden  sister  from 
Evansville  was  gloriously  restored,  and  on  the  way 
to  her  fjlace  of  eutertainment  she  filled  the  air 
with  her  shouts  of  praise.  During  the  meetings 
four  souls  were  led  into  the  laud  of  Beulah. 

"The  Sunday  morning  love-feast  was  followed 
by  a  dedicatory  sermon  by  Brother  Jones,  after 
which  the  remaining  indebtedness  was  provided 
for  and  the  church  solemnly  dedicated  to  God.  The 
Bloomfield  pilgrims  feel  greatly  encouraged,  and 
being  led  on  (under  Godj  by  their  new  jjastor, 
Brother  George  Win  dust,  we  expect  to  hear  of  glo- 
rious victories  in  that  part  of  the  country.  In- 
diana seems  ripe  for  the  harvest,  and  more  earnest 
laborers  are  needed  to  gather  sheaves  into  the  gar- 
ner of  the  Lord.  J.  A.  Wilson.^^ 

We  organized  our  first  ministerial  association  for 
Kalamazoo  district  in  connection  with  a  district 
quarterly  meeting  at  Lawrence,  October  30,  1875. 
Being  inexperienced  in  that  line  of  work,  we  might 
not  have  observed  all  the  rules  that  should  govern 
such  an  association,  but  the  brethren  did  reason- 
ably well  in  discussing  the  topics  assigned  to  them, 
and  we  were  mutually  benefited.  We  aimed  at 
keeping  in  the  Spirit  and  the  exercises  were  an  in- 
spiration to  those  present. 

On  Sunday  the  new  church  at  Lawrence  was 
dedicated  with  appropriate  exercises.  The  Lord 
accepted  the  off'ering  and  set  His  seal  upon  His 
chosen  ones.  We  were  thankful  for  another  hum- 
ble, consecrated   place   where   the   people  of  God 


BURTON  R.  JONES 


95 


could  meet  and  feel  assured  that  the  Holy  Spirit 
should  have  free  course  and  be  glorified.  We  had 
but  few  churches  in  those  days,  and  it  was  so  com- 
mon for  us  to  be  driven  from  "pillar  to  post"  with 
our  services  that  when  we  secured  a  permanent 
place  of  worship  it  was  greatly  appreciated. 

November  10th  I  began  my  first  quarterly  meet- 
ing on  Kaisinville  circuit,  J.  E.  Cripps  and  P.  E.  Vin- 
cent, pastors.  That  was  one  of  the  first  circuits 
organized  in  the  Michigan  conference,  and  there  I 
spent  two  years  very  pleasantly  as  pastor.  Some 
marked  changes  had  taken  place  during  my  ab- 
sence. Some  had  gone  to  their  eternal  home,  some 
had  backslidden,  while  otJiers  were  still  persever- 
ing in  the  way  of  life.  Although  a  number  of  new 
recruits  had  fallen  into  line,  a  special  outpouring  of 
the  Spirit  was  greatly  needed.  For  this  the  saints 
were  earnestly  praying.  Near  the  close  of  the  love- 
feast,  a  glory  cloud  burst  over  the  congregation 
and  the  scene  was  inspiring.  It  is  heart-cheering 
to  have  God  thus  reveal  Himself. 

I  spent  a  few  days  very  pleasantly  visiting  at  the 
homes  of  Brothers  Atkinson,  Plues,  Farrington, 
Young  and  others  where  I  had  been  so  greatly  en- 
couraged during  the  earlier  part  of  my  ministry. 
Precious  memories  cluster  around  that  old  field, 
There  by  the  grace  of  God  I  fought  many  hard  bat- 
tles and  won  many  glorious  victories. 

On  the  Huron  circuit  were  John  Romine,  Job 
Burnap,  John  Clark  and  others  standing  nobly  by 
the  work.  At  Waltz  I  discovered  a  tendency  to 
formality  and  worldliness  which  threatened  the 
spiritual  interests  of  the  church.    At  one  of  the 


96 


LIFE  AND  LABORS  OF 


services  of  the  quarterly  meeting  a  Brother  C.  was 
appointed  to  preach.  Finding  the  spiritual  atmos 
phere  rather  close  he  thought  to  break  the  monot- 
ony by  placing  his  hands  upon  the  altar  rail  and 
sending  his  feet  into  the  air.  But  there  was  so 
much  of  the  human  apparent  in  the  exercise  that 
no  one  but  the  actor  himself  was  particularly 
moved.  To  those  who  know  the  Holy  Ghost  and  are 
familiar  with  His  operations,  mere  bodily  exercise 
gives  little  inspiration,  Satan  is  a  wiley  foe.  He 
can  pose  as  a  flatterer,  an  alarmist,  an  obstruction- 
ist or  as  an  open  opponent.  He  stubbornly  resists 
the  movements  of  God's  people. 

December  24,  1875,  at  Ida,  Michigan,  I  attended 
my  third  dedication.  Joseph  Jones  was  at  that 
time  one  of  the  pillars  of  the  church  there,  and 
was  largely  instrumental  in  securing  the  new  prop 
erl:y.    He  has  since  passed  the  line  of  worlds. 


CHAPTER  Xlll. 


Saturday,  January  1,  187G,  I  made  the  following 
entry  in  my  diary :  ''At  father's  in  Carlton,  Michi 
gan,  to-day.  Was  blessed  in  secret  devotions.  At 
the  opening  of  the  new  year  I  rededieate  myself 
to  God.  I  hope  to  be  more  efficient  in  His  service 
the  coming  year  than  in  the  past.  Time  speeds 
away,  and  with  it  our  opportunities  for  doing  good. 
I  hereby  pledge  myself  to  greater  diligence  in  pro- 
moting evangelical  religion  among  the  people.  To 
knowingly  give  the  trumpet  an  'uncertain  sound' 
would  incur  the  divine  displeasure  and  stain  my 
garments  with  the  blood  of  souls.  I  will  pay  my 
vows  unto  the  Lord.    >Sfo  help  me  God.'' 

After  spending  a  few  days  very  pleasantly  with 
my  children  and  friends  I  re-entered  the  field  of 
toil  and  conflict.  Following  a  very  profitable  quar- 
terly meeting  at  the  Wellman  schoolhouse,  near 
Three  Rivers,  Michigan,  we  repaired  to  Sherwood, 
the  seat  of  the  district  quarterly  meeting.  On 
reaching  the  place  I  found  Brother  Thomas  Riley, 
the  pastor,  in  the  midst  of  a  revival.  Interesting 
meetings  were  held  every  afternoon  and  evening. 
As  early  in  the  week  as  Thursday  the  pilgrims  be- 
gan to  gather  from  different  parts  of  the  district, 
some  driving  long  distances  to  reach  the  place.  Ex- 
cuses for  not  attending  the  general  gatherings  were 
not  so  common  in  those  days.   The  people  generally 


97 


98 


LIFE  AND  LABORS  OF 


were  poorer  than  they  are  now,  and  the  resources 
of  the  pastors  correspondingly  smaller,  yet  in  some 
way,  they  managed  to  attend  those  important  gath- 
erings and  thus  derive  great  benefit  themselves,  be- 
sides giving  the  public  a  good  impression  of  Free 
Methodism.  Not  many  were  required  to  "stay  by 
the  stuff,"  as  there  was  not  much  "stuff"  to  stay 
by.  With  the  degree  of  interest  and  perseverance 
on  the  part  of  the  church  shown  by  the  unsaved 
in  reaching  places  of  worldly  amusement,  those 
general  gatherings  would  usually  be  well  attended. 

By  Saturday  night  the  accommodations  of  the 
community  were  pretty  well  taxed.  But  there  were 
no  complaints  and  everything  moved  off  grandly. 
God  came  in  power.  In  the  midst  of  the  sermon 
Saturday  night  about  ten  minutes  were  occupied 
by  the  saints  in  shouts  and  demonstrations.  It 
was  a  pleasing  and  profitable  interlude  to  the  ser- 
mon. The  Sunday  morning  love-feast  moved  off 
gloriously.  The  pilgrims  were  brief  and  pointed  in 
their  testimonies  and  the  Lord  poured  out  His 
Sipirit  in  a  gracious  manner.  A  number  were  saved 
during  the  meeting  and  we  were  encouraged  to 
press  the  battle  for  souls  with  renewed  energy. 

Of  conditions  found  at  a  quarterly  meeting  on 
the  Mishawaka  and  Bunker  Hill  circuit  I  wrote: 
"One  feature  of  the  work  here  is  especially  encour- 
aging to  me,  viz.,  there  are  no  tales  of  horror  to 
listen  to,  no  old  sores  to  heal,  no  complaints  from 
pastor  or  members.  A  spirit  of  unity  and  brotherly 
love  prevails.  Without  that  there  can  be  no  per- 
manent success.  Peace  and  prosperity  go  hand  in 
hand.'' 


BIJUTON  It.  JONES 


June  14-20,  1876,  was  the  date  of  the  "rainy'^ 
caiup-iiieetiiig  on  the  Ransom  circuit.  At  the  open 
ing  it  was  feared  that  the  stormy  weather  would 
greatly  interfere  with  the  success  of  the  meeting, 
but  the  Lord  overruled  all  for  good.  Superintend- 
ent Roberts  was  with  us  in  labors  abundant.  Dur 
ing  one  of  his  sermons  the  power  of  God  came  upon 
him  and  he  fell  as  one  dead.  The  saints  were 
mightily  moved  and  the  scene  was  simply  inde- 
scribable. It  was  unusual  to  see  a  general  super- 
intendent thus  overpowered,  and  the  occurrence 
created  a  profound  sensation  in  the  vast  audience. 
The  meeting  was  fruitful  in  immediate  results. 
Souls  were  saved  and  sanctified  and  both  the  min- 
istry and  the  laity  received  new  inspiration. 

As  we  gathered  in  annual  conference  session  at 
Delta,  Ohio,  September  20,  1876,  we  missed  a  num- 
ber of  the  good  brethren  who  were  accustomed  to 
meet  with  us  at  those  annual  gatherings.  Such 
had  been  the  growth  of  the  Michigan  conference 
that  a  division  had  become  necessary.  Since  its 
organization  in  1866  with  a  membership  of  six 
preachers  and  475  laymen,  it  had  increased  to 
thirty-five  ordained  ministers,  with  twenty  proba- 
tioners, and  2,790  laymen.  Such  a  healthy  growth 
was  exceedingly  encouraging.  Those  who  were  on 
the  field  know  something  of  the  self-denial  and 
sacrifice  involved,  but  the  results  more  than  com- 
pensated for  all  the  trial  and  hardship  experienced. 

After  the  division  there  remained  in  the  Michi- 
gan conference  nineteen  ordained  preachers  and 
sixteen  probationers,  with  a  lay  membership  of 
1,485.    I  was  re-elected  chairman  and  continued  on 


100 


LIFE  AND  LABORS  OF 


Spring  Arbor  and  Three  Rivers  districts.  Brother 
A.  V.  Leonardson  was  added  to  the  list  of  chair- 
men and  placed  on  the  North  Indiana  district. 

One  week  later  the  North  Michigan  conference 
was  organized  by  Sujjerintendent  Roberts  at  St. 
Johns,  embracing  the  northern  half  of  the  state  of 
Michigan  and  the  Dominion  of  Canada.  John  El 
lison  and  Septer  Roberts  were  elected  chairmen 
and  placed  in  charge  of  the  district  work,  ^yith 
twenty-nine  preachers  and  1,300  laymen  the  new 
conference  started  on  its  mission  full  of  faith  and 
courage.  Its  subsequent  history  has  proven  it  to 
have  been  a  real  child  of  Providence. 

Feeling  the  need  of  rest  and  recreation  before 
entering  upon  the  labors  of  another  conference 
3'ear,  I  took  train  at  Detroit  en  route  for  Philadel- 
Xjhia,  Pennsylvania,  it  being  the  centennial  year  of 
our  national  independence.  Passing  over  the  Le- 
high Valley  route  I  witnessed  some  of  the  most 
delightful  and  picturesque  scenery  I  had  ever  seen 
up  to  that  time.  It  seemed  as  though  nature  had 
done  her  utmost  to  satisfy  an  endless  variety  of 
tastes.  On  reaching  the  "Quaker  City"  I  secured 
accommodations  at  the  home  of  James  Mathews. 

My  visit  to  the  Centennial  was  restful,  instruc- 
tive and  profitable.  At  Independence  Hall  I  saw 
many  inter-esting  relics  of  Revolutionary  times. 
The  old  bell  that  sounded  the  first  notes  of  our 
national  liberty  was  on  exhibition  there.  On  the 
Centennial  grounds  the  most  marvelous  specimens 
of  man's  skill  and  ingenuity  were  on  exhibition  from 
all  parts  of  the  world. 

I  spent  one  Sabbath  in  the  city,  putting  in  full 


BUKTON  K.  JONES 


101 


time  for  the  Lord.  In  the  morning  I  was  privileged 
to  preach  in  Immanuel  church,  an  independent  or- 
ganization of  which  Brother  Mathews  was  tern 
porary  pastor.  In  the  afternoon  I  had  my  first 
opportunity  of  hearing  Mr.  Inskip.  He  preached 
the  pure  gospel  in  the  Spirit  and  my  soul  was  re- 
freshed. I  became  satisfied  that  he  was  doing  a 
good  work,  even  though  meeting  with  strong  oppo- 
sition in  his  own  church. 

On  my  return  trip  I  made  a  short  visit  in  New 
York  city  and  Brooklyn,  being  warmly  entertained 
at  the  home  of  Joseph  Mackey.  The  regulations 
of  that  home  were  deeply  interesting  to  me.  There 
were  nine  children  in  the  family  and  all  took  part 
in  the  morning  and  evening  devotions,  making  them 
very  interesting  and  profitable.  During  my  stay  in 
the  city  I  visited  Sister  Jane  Dunning's  mis- 
sion and  was  impressed  with  the  good  work  she 
was  doing. 

On  Sunday  I  availed  myself  of  the  opportunity 
of  hearing  two  men  of  world-wide  reputation — Mr. 
Talmage  and  Mr.  Beecher.  Mr.  T.  preached  a  sim- 
ple, practical  sermon,  well  calculated  to  make  his 
hearers  feel  religiously  inclined.  Mr.  B.  treated  the 
subject  of  '^Amusements"  in  a  masterly  manner, 
but  gave  such  unqualified  endorsement  to  games, 
dancing,  theater-going  and  such  like  as,  in  my  judg- 
ment, was  well  calculated  to  dissipate  the  minds 
of  the  young  and  create  in  them  a  stronger  desire 
for  places  of  amusement  than  for  the  house  of  God. 
His  only  limitation  was  tliat  "indulgence  in  such 
amusements  should  not  be  carried  so  far  as  to  in- 
jure the  physical  health."    My  homeward  journey 


102 


LIFE  AND  LABORS  OF 


took  me  along  the  Hudson  and  Mohawk  rivers.  The 
scenery  was  most  delightful. 

On  returning  to  Jackson,  Michigan,  October  21, 
I  accepted  a  room  kindly  offered  me  by  Brother 
and  Sister  Cline.  For  over  a  year  I  made  that  my 
headquarters,  being  treated  by  them  as  one  of  their 
own  family.  In  1900  Sister  C.  passed  triumphantly 
to  her  eternal  home,  followed  by  Brother  C.  in 
1905. 

On  December  6,  1876,  we  struck  our  first  blow 
at  Battle  Creek,  Michigan.  It  was  evident  at  the 
beginning  that  victory  would  be  gained  only  after 
a  hard  and  long  struggle.  But  by  faith  in  God  we 
saw  the  triumph  from  afar. 

The  dawn  of  the  year  1877  found  us  engaged  in 
the  closing  exercises  of  a  watch  meeting  at  Na- 
poleon, Michigan.  Souls  at  the  altar  seeking  holi- 
ness held  us  until  about  1 .00  o'clock  a.  m.,  when 
we  retired  to  the  home  of  Brother  George  English 
for  a  few  hours'  rest.  That  was  one  of  the  many 
pilgrim  homes  where  the  weary  itinerant  always 
received  a  hearty  welcome.  Several  years  later 
Brother  and  Sister  E.  passed  to  their  eternal  re- 
ward from  their  home  in  Colorado  Springs,  Col- 
orado. 

The  next  day  I  received  an  urgent  call  from  W. 
H.  James  to  return  to  Battle  Creek.  He  had  been 
continuing  the  meetings  tliere  during  my  absence. 
I  had  several  of  my  quarterly  meetings  supplied 
and  remained  with  the  meeting  at  B.  C.  until  it 
closed.  The  old  German  Reformed  church  had  been 
engaged  for  the  occasion,  and  for  eight  weeks  the 
battle  was  closely  contested.    Satan  marshalled  his 


BUIMON  li.  JONES 


103 


forces  against  us — employing  ministers  and  cliiircli 
members  to  defeat  tlie  work,  but  in  the  name  of 
Christ  we  triumplied.  For  eight  years  Brother  and 
Sister  Albert  Benton,  formerly  charter  members 
of  the  Free  Methodist  church  at  Albion,  New  York, 
had  been  holding  up  the  true  light  amid  bitter  per- 
secution. The  day  they  had  so  long  looked  for  ar- 
rived. Several  precious  souls  were  saved,  a  class 
of  thirteen  organized  and  a  regular  appointment 
established.  The  class  has  since  passed  through 
severe  tests  and  experienced  reverses,  but  a  rem- 
nant has  remained  to  maintain  the  true  standard. 
At  this  writing  (1909)  there  is  a  prosperous  society 
at  that  point,  with  a  fine  house  of  worship  centrally 
located. 

During  the  early  part  of  1877  a  new  church  wa^ 
being  erected  at  Jackson,  Michigan,  which  required 
considerable  of  my  attention.  There  were  some  dis- 
cordant elements  in  the  society  which  at  times 
threatened  the  defeat  of  the  enterprise,  and  special 
divine  guidance  was  needed  in  its  management. 
Some  of  the  brethren  connected  with  the  work  were 
not  as  Christ-like  as  they  might  have  been,  and 
Satan,  always  quick  to  take  advantage  of  such 
conditions,  intensified  his  efforts  to  obstruct  the 
work  of  God.  It  then  was  and  still  is  a  mystery 
how  persons  professing  a  high  state  of  grace  ap- 
pear so  ready  to  sacrifice  the  interests  of  the  work 
of  God  simply  to  gain  their  own  ends  where  no 
moral  principle  is  involved  in  the  controversy.  But 
the  Lord  overruled,  the  work  went  forward,  and 
on  April  15,  1877,  the  new  church,  located  on  East 
Wilkins   street,   was    dedicated.  Superintendent 


104 


LIFE  AND  LABORS  OF 


Hart  arrived  on  Saturday,  preached  three  excellent 
sermons,  leaving  at  the  close  of  the  Sunday  morn- 
ing service  with  the  church  not  dedicated  and  only 
a  part  of  the  indebtedness  provided  for.  The  reader 
can  easily  imagine  my  embarrassment  at  being  left 
with  that  unfinished  work  on  my  hands.  But  the 
Lord  graciously-  came  to  our  relief,  and  at  the 
night  service  the  balance  of  the  indebtedness  was 
provided  for  and  the  church  solemnly  dedicated  to 
God.  Our  labors  were  honored  by  a  gracious  out- 
pouring of  the  Holy  Spirit.  The  divine  seal  was 
set  on  the  enterprise,  and  to  this  day  the  banner 
of  the  cross  continues  to  v.ave  over  that  sacred 
spot. 

In  the  Jackson  society  was  a  devoted  sister  named 
Huntington,  who  was  gradually  wasting  away  with 
consumption.  During  one  of  my  visits  at  her  bed- 
side when  she  was  at  the  point  of  death,  after  re- 
questing me  to  officiate  at  her  funeral,  she  said, 
'Treach  to  the  living.  Tell  them  I  passed  over 
triumphantly,  that  I  was  glad  to  go.  Say  some 
thing  to  melt  the  hearts  of  the  unsaved  if  you  can." 
What  a  pleasure  it  is  to  listen  to  such  a  dying  testi- 
mony. Such  victories  in  the  dying  hour  are  a  proof 
of  the  power  of  the  gospel  of  Christ.  A  few  days 
later  I  was  called  to  attend  her  funeral.  It  was  an 
impressive  service,  and  all  present  felt  to  exclaim, 
^'Blessed  are  the  dead  which  die  in  the  Lord." 

A  fruitful  revival  took  place  at  Blissfield,  under 
the  labors  of  Rev.  L.  T.  Frink.  The  following  ac- 
count of  the  meeting  was  published  in  The  Free 
Methodist :  "Brother  Frink  has  just  closed  a  very 
successful    series    of   meetings    at   the  Blissfield 


BTTKTON  U.  JONES 


105 


church.  The  work  there  has  been  greatly  revived. 
About  tweuty-five  souls  have  'cast  off  the  works 
of  darkness'  and  put  on  Christ.  Our  quarterly  meet- 
ing at  that  place  in  charge  of  our  chairman,  B.  K. 
Jones,  was  a  season  of  refreshing  from  the  presence 
of  the  Lord.  One  said,  'I  have  not  attended  such 
a  meeting  since  I  was  a  child.'  Another  said,  'It 
was  the  best  meeting  I  was  ever  in.'  The  converts 
are  nearly  all  heads  of  families.  In  most  cases 
husband  and  wife  are  united  in  the  race.  After 
long  contending  for  the  faith,  the  little  class  feels 
greatly  strengthened  and  encouraged.  The  Lord  of 
hosts  is  with  them.  The  work  is  going  deep  and 
high.    Thank  God." 

At  the  June  camp-meeting  at  Spring  Arbor  we 
were  favored  with  the  labors  of  Superintendents 
Roberts  and  Hart.  They  both  rendered  efficient 
service,  although  Brother  R.  expressed  himself  as 
feeling  that  two  superintendents  were  more  than 
were  really  needed  at  one  meeting.  An  entry  in 
my  diary  made  on  the  closing  day,  sums  up  the 
visible  results  as  follows :  ''A  number  have  been 
converted  and  some  sanctified  wholly,  and  the  pil- 
grims greatly  quickened.  The  work  has  been 
greatly  strengthened.  Expect  the  fruit  of  this 
camp-meeting  to  be  more  fully  known  in  heaven- 
It  seems  lonely  at  parting.  'Blest  be  the  tie  that 
binds  our  hearts  in  Christian  love.' " 

July  G,  1877,  we  opened  the  services  in  connec 
tion  with  the  dedication  of  the  new  church  at  Eck- 
ford,  Michigan,  it  being  ten  years  after  the  time 
I  held  my  first  meeting  at  that  place.  The  church 
was  built  during  the  pastorate  of  Thomas  Riley. 


106  LIFE  AND  LABORS  OF 


The  work  had  been  greatly  strengthened  under  his 
labors  and  a  deep  interest  was  shown  b}'  the  peo- 
ple. Large  crowds  gathered  at  the  Sunday  services. 
The  baptismal  service  at  the  lake  attracted  a  vast 
throng  of  people.  Sunday  night  we  finished  rais- 
ing the  indebtedness  on  the  church  and  dedicated 
it  to  the  worship  of  God. 

At  the  annual  conference  held  at  Ridgeville, 
Ohio,  in  1877,  I  was  re-elected  chairman  and  re- 
turned to  the  Spring  Arbor  and  Three  Rivers  dis- 
tricts. 

On  November  22,  1877,  I  was  married  to  Miss 
Mary  E.  Sanford,  of  Albion,  New  York,  the  cere- 
mony being  performed  by  Rev.  S.  K.  J.  Chesbro. 
After  spending  a  few  days  at  my  native  town  in 
Western  New  York,  we  returned  to  Jackson,  Mich- 
igan, where,  on  December  3d,  we  were  fully  installed 
in  our  new  home.  Brother  and  Sister  Joseph  Law- 
rence, then  in  charge  of  the  work  at  Jackson,  oc- 
cupied adjoining  rooms  in  the  same  building,  and 
we  found  them  very  agreeable  neighbors. 


CHAPTER  XIV. 


The  year  1878  dawned  very  auspiciously  upon  us 
as  the  following  entry  in  my  journal  will  show: 
"As  the  new  year  dawns  our  watch -meeting  at  Oak- 
ville  progresses  with  increasing  interest.  The  Holy 
Spirit  is  moving  in  power  among  us.  On  the  whole 
I  consider  this  the  best  meeting  of  the  kind  I  ever 
attended.  The  pilgrims  are  really  alive.  God  is 
working."  The  power  of  Ood  came  on  the  audience 
at  the  New-year's  night  service  and  five  souls  pro- 
fessed conversion.  I  remained  in  the  neighborhood 
several  days,  holding  meetings  at  night.  While  vis- 
iting at  the  home  of  Sister    I  was  deeply  im- 
pressed with  the  suflSciency  of  the  grace  of  God  to 
sustain  a  Christian  mother  in  the  midst  of  domes- 
tic troubles.  Her  husband  was  an  ugly,  all-around 
disagreeable  man.  But  amid  all  the  abuse  heaped 
upon  that  unoffending  woman  she  kept  a  meek  and 
patient  spirit.  Her's  was  a  most  remarkable  ex- 
ample of  the  sanctified  life. 

At  the  home  of  the  pastor  my  attention  was  at- 
tracted to  a  bright  little  baby  boy  who  seemed  to 
take  delight  in  furnishing  entertainment  for  the 
entire  company.  I  was  informed  that  he  responded 
to  the  name  "Burton  Jones  Vincent."  He  con- 
tinued to  develop  along  intellectual  and  spiritual 
lines  until  twenty-eight  years  later  he  became  prin- 
cipal of  Spring  Arbor  Seminary. 


107 


108 


LIFE  AND  LABORS  OF 


A  quarterly  meeting  held  at  Clay  Bank,  Indi- 
ana, January  19,  20,  is  worthy  of  mention.  The 
Sabbath  services  were  exceedingly  interesting. 
Wave  after  wave  of  glory  swept  over  the  audience 
and  the  evidences  of  divine  presence  and  approval 
were  unmistakable.  Members  of  different  churches 
entered  into  the  spirit  of  the  occasion  and  recog- 
nized the  fact  of  God's  approval  of  the  work.  I 
remained  in  meetings  with  the  pastor,  B.  Burling- 
ton, until  time  to  leave  for  my  next  quarterly  meet- 
ing. The  Teter  family  became  enlisted  in  the  work 
at  that  meeting,  among  whom  was  their  young 
daughter  who  afterward  became  the  wife  of  Rev. 
R.  H.  Clark,  now  of  the  Washington  conference. 

On  March  8,  1878,  we  commenced  meetings  in  the 
schoolhouse  at  Jefferson,  Michigan.  The  next  day 
the  doors  were  closed  against  us  and  we  took  the 
meeting  to  the  town  hall  near  by.  There  was  a 
deep  prejudice  against  our  work  at  that  point, 
largely  growing  out  of  the  inconsistencies  of  some 
who  professed  to  represent  the  Free  Methodist 
church.  But  God  was  with  us  and  victory  came. 
A  few  were  graciously  saved  and  a  class  of  ten  or- 
ganized. I  felt  that  the  converts  would  need  spe- 
cial care  and  attention  for  the  wolves  were  near. 
Among  the  faithful  ones  of  the  society  were  Brother 
and  Sister  Rice,  who  were  identified  with  the  early 
Free  Methodist  movement  in  Western  New  York. 
A  little  later  a  commodious  church  was  built  at 
Jefferson. 

On  April  21,  1878,  I  was  privileged  to  dedicate 
a  comfortable  little  chapel  at  Fort  Wayne,  Indiana. 
The  occasion  was  an  enjoyable  one.    It  would  be 


BURTON  K.  JONES 


109 


difficult  to  describe  the  joy  that  was  manifested 
by  the  faithful  ones  at  having  a  permanent  place 
in  which  to  worship  God. 

We  held  several  successful  camp-meetings  on  the 
districts  during  the  summer.  At  Osceola,  Indiana, 
a  new  point,  large  crowds  attended  the  services 
and  listened  attentively  to  a  class  of  truths  entirely 
new  to  them.  It  was  a  seed-sowing  time,  and  while 
the  immediate  results  were  not  so  great,  seed  was 
sown  that  will  yet  spring  up  and  produce  a  harvest. 
In  August,  by  invitation  of  the  chairman,  C.  S. 
Gitchell,  I  assisted  in  a  camp-meeting  near  Ionia, 
Michigan.  The  services  were  interesting  and  prof- 
itable. An  occasional  outbreak  of  fanaticism 
served  to  dampen  the  spirits  of  some,  but  the  faith 
of  the  saints  triumphed  in  every  instance  and  the 
work  went  steadily  on.   Souls  were  blessedly  saved. 

During  a  meeting  at  the  Coe  schoolhouse  a  man 
became  very  much  enraged  over  his  wife  going  to 
the  altar  as  a  seeker.  I  attempted  to  justify  her 
course,  and  he  at  once  threw  off  his  coat  and  threat- 
ened to  whip  me.  He  soon  cooled  off,  however,  and 
his  wife  got  blessedly  saved.  The  next  day  he 
humbly  asked  my  forgiveness,  went  to  the  altar  and 
was  clearly  converted. 

Near  Mooreville  lived  a  sister  named  East,  noted 
for  her  eccentricities  as  well  as  for  her  piety.  When 
the  Free  Methodist  church  was  organized  at  that 
point  she  left  the  church  to  which  she  had  belonged 
and  united  with  the  new  society.  On  a  certain  oc- 
casion she  attended  services  at  the  church  she  had 
left  and  was  greatly  blest  in  her  testimony.  The 
pastor,  evidently  to  impress  her  mind  that  she  had 


110 


LIFE  AND  LABORS  OF 


made  a  mistake  in  leaving  her  former  church,  re- 
marked, ''You  see,  Sister  East,  we  have  good  feed 
in  the  old  church  yet."  ''O  my  brother,"  said  Sister 
E.,  ''this  is  a  bundle  I  brought  with  me." 

That  year  closed  my  full  disciplinary  term  on 
the  Spring  Arbor  and  Three  Rivers  districts.  The 
summer  was  a  very  busy  one.  We  were  certainly 
"abundant  in  labors,"  and  many  precious  seasons 
were  experienced.  The  last  quarterly  meeting  at 
Spring  Arbor  was  unusually  fruitful.  A  number 
were  converted  at  the  Saturday  and  Sabbath  serv- 
ices, and  one  hungry  soul  followed  us  to  Brother 
Bell's  where  we  were  entertained,  and  was  blessedly 
saved  after  the  Sunday  night  service.  The  confer- 
ence year  ended  gloriously. 

At  the  conference  held  at  Holland,  Ohio,  in  1878, 
I  was  re-elected  chairman  and  appointed  to  Cleve- 
land and  Toledo  districts.  I  was  also  elected  dele- 
gate to  the  general  conference  which  was  held  at 
Spring  Arbor,  Michigan,  October  9-19. 

October  24th  found  us  cozily  settled  in  our  new 
home  at  63  Horace  street,  Toledo,  Ohio.  At  the 
general  conference,  under  the  preaching  of  some  of 
the  devoted,  holy  men  of  the  church  my  heart  was 
greatly  inspired  and  I  entered  upon  my  new  field 
with  renewed  faith  and  courage.  At  Cleveland  I  found 
Zion  somewhat  cast  down ;  but  continuing  the  meet- 
ings a  w^eek  in  connection  with  the  quarterly 
meeting  resulted  in  an  increased  interest  in  the 
work.  In  the  society  were  a  number  of  strong,  re- 
liable members,  among  whom  were  Joseph  Cain, 
E.  Thomas,  George  Lawrence,  William  Jones  and 
their  wives,  with  others.    Brother  Cain  was  at  that 


BURTON  H.  JONES 


111 


time  suffering  with  inflammatory  rheumatism. 
Finding  no  relief  in  natural  remedies,  he  sought 
unto  the  Lord  and  was  instantly  restored. 

A  few  miles  out  of  Cleveland  lived  an  aged  couple 
named  Beach.  Heeoming  wearied  with  the  cold- 
ness and  formality  of  the  churches  around,  they 
opened  the  way  for  the  introduction  of  our  work  in 
their  community.  Of  my  meditations  in  their  home 
on  November  12th,  I  made  the  following  note:  "My 
mind  has  been  dwelling  on  the  words  of  St.  Paul, 
*We  are  laborers  together  with  God.'  Three  im- 
portant thoughts  are  suggested.  1.  Christian  ef- 
fort— 'We  are  laborers.'  2.  Union  of  effort — 'We 
are  laborers  together.'  3.  Divine  co-operation 
— *  *  ivith  God.' "  Those  thoughts  have 
served  me  a  useful  purpose  many  times  since. 

Near  Unionville,  Ohio,  I  found  a  class  of  thir- 
teen members  with  no  regular  preaching  service. 
The  quarterly  meeting  was  held  at  the  home  of 
Brother  and  Sister  William  Clark.  They  had  a 
large  family  of  children,  making  a  fair-sized  con- 
gregation of  themselves.  Their  daughter  Esther 
afterward  became  a  missionary  to  Santo  Domingo, 
and  is  still  laboring  in  that  field  under  the  endorse- 
ment of  the  general  missionary  board.  Their 
daughter  Martha  married  Rev.  S.  W.  Stone  and  is 
still  engaged  with  her  husband  in  the  active  work. 
A  brother  and  Sister  Luce  and  their  two  children 
united  with  the  church  at  that  meeting  and  became 
a  means  of  special  encouragement  to  the  little  so- 
ciety. Later  their  daughter  became  the  wife  of  Rev. 
\Y.  B.  Olmstead,  now  our  general  conference  Sun- 
day-school secretary. 


112 


LIFE  AND  LABORS  OF 


During  my  administration  on  the  districts  un- 
pleasant conditions  would  occasionally  arise,  and 
it  did  not  require  many  years  for  me  to  discover 
that  great  patience  and  kindness  and  wisdom  are 
needed  to  manage  the  affairs  of  a  district  success- 
fully. 

On  Mondi^y,  after  a  rather  unsatisfactory  quar- 
terly meeting  at  ,  we  met  to  try  to  settle  some 

difficulties  existing  between  the  pastor  and 
the  society.  We  continued  the  investigation 
until  the  difficulties  were  quite  satisfactorily  ad- 
justed, discovering  that  the  whole  trouble  had 
arisen  from  giving  credit  to  reports  circulated  by 
outside  parties.  Oh  I  the  curse  of  an  unbridled 
tongue.  Who  can  estimate  it?  It  has  caused  many 
an  irreparable  breach  in  the  church  of  God.  Such 
differences  and  contentions  in  the  church  do  more 
to  hinder  the  gospel  than  all  outside  influences 
combined. 


CHAPTKK  XV. 

On  arriving  at  Weynionth,  Ohio,  January  18, 
1879,  we  were  informed  that  the  church  we  had 
once  occupied  was  closed  against  us.  Brother  D. 
S.  Young  kindly  opened  his  house  to  us  and  we 
began  a  series  of  meetings  in  his  parlor.  We  wer3 
greatly  blest  at  the  first  service,  proving  that  we 
w^ere  not  shut  off  from  God.  The  meetings  contin- 
ued for  five  days  amid  the  most  bitter  opposition 
from  formal  church  members,  but  victory  came.  A 
few  were  liberated  from  bondage  and  a  Free  Meth- 
odist society  organized.  A  few  weeks  later  we 
held  a  tabernacle  meeting  in  that  vicinity  and  God 
was  present  in  a  remarkable  manner.  There  were 
present  the  usual  number  of  "hangers  on" — a  class 
of  professors  who  attended  nearly  all  our  general 
gatherings  to  get  "warmed  up"  and  then  return  to 
their  worldly  churches  and  "cool  off."  One  of  that 
class  took  occasion  during  the  love-feast  to  free  her 
mind  on  the  pride  and  worldliness  in  the  church 
to  which  she  belonged.  At  the  close  of  her  remarks 
I  arose  and  said,  "Sister,  do  you  talk  like  that  in 
your  own  church?"  She  replied,  "Well,  Brother 
Jones,  I  cannot  say  that  I  do,  exactly."  In  those 
days  we  were  frequently  annoyed  by  so-called  "holi- 
ness people"  who  would  avail  themselves  of  the  op- 
portunity afi'orded  at  our  meetings  of  denouncing 
the  worldliness  of  the  popular  churches,  and  then 


113 


114 


LIFE  AND  LABORS  OF 


return  to  those  churches  and  l)y  their  presence  cind 
means  su])i)ort  tlie  formality  and  i)ride  they  had  so 
l)ittei-ly  denounced.  To  me,  such  \  course  has  ever 
.seemed  to  be  a  practical  inconsistency.  Bible  holi- 
ness will  make  one  true  to  his  (iod-given  convictions 
everywhere. 

Early  in  April  I  held  a  few  days'  meeting  at  New 
Boston,  Michigan.  Brother  J.  C.  Scott,  pastor  at 
Waltz,  had  previously  held  a  few  meetings  there 
and  a  few  souls  had  been  saved.  Free  Methodism 
was  new  in  that  vicinity.  The  Spirit  of  the  Lord 
graciously  attended  our  efforts  and  on  the  last  day 
of  the  meeting  a  Free  Methodist  society  was  organ- 
ized.   Thus  the  work  spread  and  was  strengthened. 

About  that  time  Brother  C.  H.  Abbott,  a  member 
of  the  Baptist  church  in  Hillsdale  county,  Michi- 
gan, drove  thirty  miles  with  an  ox-team  to  attend 
one  of  my  quarterly  meetings.  That  was  his  first 
introduction  to  Free  Methodism,  and  he  became 
very  much  interested  in  what  he  saw  and  heard. 
Soon  after  his  return  home  his  pastor  used  for  a 
text,  "Ephraim  is  a  cake  unturned."  During  his 
discourse  he  took  occasion  to  denounce  those  who 
were  "roaming  around  the  country"  in  search  of 
something  different  from  what  they  were  getting 
at  their  ow^n  church.  Such  persons,  he  argued, 
needed  to  be  more  thoroughly  indoctrinated.  But 
Satan  over-shot  the  mark  in  that  case,  f'ottage 
prayer-meetings  were  soon  started  in  the  neigh- 
borhood, a  Free  Methodist  preacher  was  engaged 
and  meetings  held  at  Fremont,  near  Brother  A.'s 
home,  resulting  in  the  organization  of  a  Free  Meth- 
odist society.     Liter  several  of  Brother  Abbott's 


BURTON  U.  JONES 


115 


children  were  converted  and  united  with  the  new 
society.  His  daii<?hter  Bertha  afterward  became 
the  wife  of  Rev.  George  McGrath,  of  the  North 
Michigan  conference,  and  they  are  still  on  the  field 
gathering  sheaves  for  the  Master.  Thus  God  works. 
The  opposition  of  Satan  often  conduces  to  the 
spread  of  the  gospel  he  so  much  despises.  In  work- 
ing out  His  purposes  God  makes  even  the  "wrsLth 
of  man  to  praise  Him.'' 

At  Delta,  Ohio,  we  had  a  very  profitable  camp- 
meeting  in  August.  The  ministers  present  were 
greatly  helped  in  their  labors  and  much  fruit  was 
gathered.  The  power  of  God  came  on  the  people 
in  a  most  remarkable  manner  and  the  usual  ac- 
companiments of  a  Pentecostal  outpouring  were 
in  evidence.  There  were  a  number  of  clear  conver- 
sions and  many  were  sanctified  wholly.  Oh,  how 
God  filled  and  thrilled  the  hearts  of  the  saints. 
One  preacher  who  was  struggling  over  the  ques- 
tion of  an  empty  flour  barrel  asked  Sister  Gitchell 
what  she  would  do  under  such  circumstances.  She 
replied,  "I  would  praise  the  Lord  and  scrape  the 
flour  barrel." 

In  one  community  where  we  had  a  few  members 
and  no  interest  we  made  an  attempt  to  build  up  the 
work.  We  succeeded  in  "stirring"  the  elements 
but  gathered  no  fruit.  In  the  neighborhood  were 
skeptics,  infidels,  spiritualists  and  formalists,  and 
their  influence  over  the  young  people  was  very  dam- 
aging. Some  of  our  own  members  who  had  been 
praying  for  a  Pentecostal  season  were  unable  to 
stand  the  answer  to  their  own  prayers.  We  labored 
for  ten  days  and  not  a  person — child  or  idiot — even 


116 


LIFE  AND  LABORS  OF 


arose  ror  prayers.  No  one  was  ready  to  pay  the 
price  of  a  Bible  experience.  The  passion  for 
cheapness  affects  all  phases  of  life.  The  masses 
must  have  not  only  clothes  and  food  at  "popular 
prices"  but  religion  as  well.  I  once  read  of  a  lady 
of  fashion  Avho  had  changed  her  church  relation. 
On  being  asked  why  she  had  left  the  old  Puritan 
communion  of  her  fathers  for  one  of  so  doubtful 
and  recent  growth,  she  frankly  replied :  "I  wish 
to  go  to  heaven  but  have  made  up  my  mind  to  go 
the  cheai>est  way."  What  this  woman  honestly  con- 
fessed, others  persistently  follow.  The  world 
wants  religion  at  "popular  prices."  There  is  little 
demand  for  the  "pearl  of  great  price,"  that  is 
worth  our  greatest  sacrifice.  The  masses  want  a 
religion  that  involves  no  crucifixion  of  pride,  no 
renunciation  of  worldly  pleasure  or  Christless  asso- 
ciations. They  want  heaven,  but  they  want  even  that 
at  "marked  down"  prices.  Hence  the  world  ia 
filled  w^ith  cheap  religions.  The  uplifted  hand,  or 
a  signed  card  expressing  a  desire  to  get  something 
or  be  something — just  what  no  one  knows — is  all 
that  is  required.  Beware  of  such.  A  religion  that 
costs  nothing  is  worth  nothing;  salvation  does  not 
cost  too  much,  even  if  it  costs  all  one  has  in  this 
world. 

On  October  2,  1879,  the  Ohio  conference  w^as  or- 
ganized by  Superintendent  Hart  at  Windsor,  Ohio, 
with  eight  preachers,  having  611  laymen  within  its 
bounds.  The  following  names  appear  on  the  con- 
ference roll  for  that  year :  B.  R.  Jones,  J.  A. 
Wilson,  C.  F.  Irish,  J.  Cripps,  J.  Hayden,  N.  R. 
Woods,  C.  B.  Schaefer,  W.  Jones.   S.  K.  Wheatlake, 


BUKTON  K.  JONES 


117 


SO  well  and  favorably  known  throughout  the 
church,  was  received  on  trial  at  that  session. 

Having  traveled  the  Toledo  and  Cleveland  dis- 
tricts during  the  year  I  naturally  fell  into  the 
territory  of  the  new  conference.  It  was  with  some 
reluctance  that  I  severed  my  pleasant  relations 
with  the  Michigan  conference,  but  as  the  ^^pillar 
of  fire"  seemed  to  move  toward  Ohio  I  felt  it  was 
safe  to  follow.  The  new  conference  entered  upon 
its  important  mission  full  of  faith  and  courage.  It 
now  (1908)  has  an  enrolment  of  forty-one  minis- 
ters and  1,139  lay  members. 

It  was  with  a  firm  trust  in  God  that  we  severed 
our  pleasant  relations  to  the  Michigan  conference 
and  entered  upon  this  new  field.  A  readiness  to 
make  sacrifices  and  endure  hardships,  if  only  the 
work  of  God  be  promoted,  was  apparent  among 
both  the  ministry  and  the  laity.  A  general  feeling 
of  encouragement  prevailed. 

There  was  not  so  much  lack  of  loyalty  to  orig- 
inal principles  as  of  deep-toned  spirituality.  We 
must  be  a  thoroughly  spiritual  people. 

There  is  a  great  work  before  the  Free  Methodist 
church  in  the  state  of  Ohio.  There  are  those  who 
dare  oppose  some  of  the  grosser  forms  of  im- 
morality, but  our  mission  is  to  oppose  sin  in  every 
form — to  remonstrate  against  all  the  growing  cor- 
ruptions in  both  practise  and  principle. 

With  "holiness  to  the  Lord"  for  our  watchword, 
success  must  be  written  upon  the  annals  of  the 
Ohio  conference. 

I  was  re-elected  chairman  and  returned  to  the 
Toledo  and  Cleveland  districts.    Soon  after  con- 


118 


LIFE  AND  LABORS  OF 


ference  we  moved  to  Cleveland,  Ohio,  that  being  a 
a  more  favorable  location  for  us. 

On  April  14,  1879,  we  received  a  telegram  in- 
forming us  of  the  serious  illness  of  our  little  Bur- 
ton who  was  then  at  my  father's  home  in  Michi- 
gan. A  few  hours  before  we  reached  his  bedside 
our  baby  passed  to  the  realms  above,  aged 
three  years,  ten  months.  On  his  death  I  penned  the 
following  words : 

It  was  on  a  lovely  Sabbath. 

.lust  about  the  hour  of  one, 
When  our  little  baby  spirit 

Took  his  flight  beyond  the  sun. 

While  in  life  he  was  so  cheerful. 

Spreading  sunshine  all  around ; 
But  his  little  prayers  and  anthems 

On  our  ears  no  more  will  sound. 

The  "dark  angel"  sought  his  victim 

When  we  least  supposed  him  near; 
And  our  hearts  are  sadly  riven 

By  the  loss  of  one  so  dear. 

By  his  bedside  angels  lingered. 

Kissed  his  precious  spirit  home; 
And  though  weei)ing.  yet  resigned, 

We  can  say.  "Thy  will  be  done." 

In  the  midst  of  our  affliction. 

Little  Burtie's  dead,  we  say ; 
But  'tis  only  separation. 

Soon  we'll  meet  in  endless  day. 

In  the  realms  of  light  and  glory. 

Free  from  pain  and  sorrow's  blight. 
We  shall  join  those  gone  before  us. 

Where  'tis  said,  "There  is  no  night."' 


CHAPTER  XVI. 


A  relief  it  is  to  get  away  from  dusty  streets, 
crowded  thorouglifares  and  noisome  atmospheres, 
into  the  country  where  the  whole  man  may  grow 
and  expand  as  God  ordained.  The  vision  is  no 
longer  obstructed  by  high  buildings  skirting  the 
narrow  streets,  but  there  is  a  world  beyond,  a  "glo- 
rious world,"  where  the  eye,  sweeping  over  hilltop 
and  glen,  may  take  in  the  beauties  with  which  na- 
ture has  decked  herself.  Here  one  can  breathe  full 
and  free,  and  the  life-current  bounds  with  an  en- 
ergy refreshing  and  invigorating  to  the  entire  be- 
ing. A  relief  it  is,  we  reiterated,  when  we  found 
ourselves  comfortably  seated  in  the  car  and  rapidly 
moving  out  of  the  noisy  city  of  Cleveland  toward 
the  point  where  we  hoped  to  enjoy  a  good  quarterly 
meeting  with  the  pilgrims  of  the  Unionville  circuit. 

Madison  was  soon  signalled,  the  iron  horse  made 
a  brief  halt,  and  we  alighted  upon  the  platform  in 
the  midst  of  a  heavy  rainstorm.  A  private  con- 
veyance awaited  us,  and  we  were  soon  at  the  pleas- 
ant home  of  Brother  William  Clark,  six  miles  from 
the  place  of  meeting  and  the  rain  still  pouring 
down.  Concluding  that  it  was  not  our  duty  to  go 
so  far  in  the  storm,  we  put  up  for  the  night.  But 
of  course  we  could  have  a  meeting.  Why  not? 
There  were  eight  in  the  family — a  larger  gathering 
than  some  whole  churches  can  muster  at  a  prayer- 

119 


120 


LIFE  AND  LAB0K8  OF 


meeting — and  every  one  enjoying  religion  even  down 
to  little  seven-year-old  Jennie.  Brother  Clark  could 
well  say,  "As  for  me  and  my  house,  we  will  serve 
the  Lord." 

The  next  day  we  drove  over  the  hills  and  through 
the  ravines,  reaching  Thompson,  Ohio,  in  time  for 
the  Saturday  afternoon  services  of  the  first  Free 
Methodist  quarterly  meeting  ever  held  in  that  vi- 
cinity. The  Free  Methodists  were  quite  a  curiosity 
to  some,  and  as  great  a  dread  to  others.  To  see 
people  dressed  as  plainly  as  they  were  in  the  days 
when  the  Methodist  church  excluded  from  her  love- 
feasts  all  who  wore  ''high  heads,  high  bonnets,  ruf- 
fles and  rings,"  was  somewhat  of  a  curiosity  to  the 
modern  type  of  Methodists  in  fashionable  attire. 
To  think  that  the  old  "negative"  had  been  pre- 
served, and  that  a  copy  of  the  original  type  of 
Methodism  was  to  be  held  before  the  people  of 
Thomx>son  Ledge,  was  exceedingly  annoying  to  som.e 
of  the  adherents  of  ''new  school  Methodism." 

It  was  at  this  point  that  by  invitation  of  John 
Proctor  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  church,  we  held 
a  four-weeks'  meeting,  beginning  February  2.3, 1880. 
And  be  assured  it  was  a  warm  battle.  Brother 
Proctor's  pastor  was  greatly  incensed  to  think  that 
one  of  his  own  members  would  be  so  disloyal  as 
to  invite  a  Free  Methodist  minister  into  the  place 
without  consulting  his  pastor.  But  there  chanced 
to  be  one  person  in  the  community  who  was  not  so 
thoroughly  priest-ridden  that  he  dare  not  follow 
his  convictions. 

The  pilgrims  from  other  points  rallied  to  our  as- 
sistance, and  for  one  month  God  helped  us  to  face 


BURTON  K.  JONES 


121 


the  enemy  in  open  conflict.  Brother  and  Sister  Proc- 
tor stood  nobly  by  the  work  and  were  richly  re- 
warded with  experiences  deeper,  richer  and  more 
glorious  than  they  had  ever  known  before.  They 
soon  united  with  the  new  society  and  became  typi- 
cal Free  Methodists. 

June  8,  1880,  we  opened  a  camp-meeting  at  Big 
Prairie,  Ohio.  That  was  a  new  point  for  our  work 
and  a  fierce  conflict  awaited  us.  Deep  prejudices 
and  bitter  jealousies  were  to  be  overcome  before 
the  work  could  prosper.  But  the  Lord  set  His  seal 
on  the  first  service.  At  the  opening  of  the  Friday 
night  service  a  wave  of  glory  swept  over  the  con- 
gregation, and  such  a  scene  as  followed  is  seldom 
witnessed.  The  saints  were  carried  well  nigh  into 
the  "third  heaven"  where  indescribable  revelations 
are  received.  Following  the  Sunday  morning  ser- 
mon another  glory  cloud  burst  upon  us  and  shout- 
ing, leaping,  falling  and  praising  the  Lord  was 
the  prevailing  order.  Oh,  what  a  glorious  hour! 
Victory  continued  throughout  the  day.  During  the 
meeting  a  number  were  blessedly  saved,  others  sanc- 
tified wholly,  and  several  good  people  received  new 
light  on  the  importance  of  the  issues  we  repre- 
sented. On  the  last  night  of  the  meeting  we  or- 
ganized a  Free  Methodist  society,  after  which,  dur- 
ing a  season  of  prayer,  God  endorsed  the  action  in 
a  most  signal  manner.  Never  before  had  I  wit- 
nessed such  a  scene  at  the  close  of  a  camp-meeting. 
Ministers  and  people  alike  seemed  to  enter  into  the 
immediate  presence  of  God.  There  could  be  no 
question  about  the  new  organization  being  in  di- 
vine order.    Many  will  thank  God  in  eternity  for 


122 


LIFE  AND  LABORS  OF 


that  Big  Prairie  camp-meeting.  A  few  months 
later  a  new  commodious  Free  Methodist  church  was 
dedicated  to  God  at  that  place. 

One  day's  rest  at  home  and  I  started  out  on  my 
first  trip  to  Canada.  By  invitation  of  Brother  C. 
H.  Sage.  I  engaged  to  assist  in  a  camp-meeting  at 
Hannon,  Ontario.  I  reached  the  ground  June  17, 
1880,  and  soon  discovered  that  in  Canada,  as  well 
as  in  the  states,  sin  abounded  and  the  pure  gospel 
was  needed.  W.  F.  Manley,  then  of  the  Illinois 
conference,  was  also  an  invited  helper,  and  preached 
some  able,  soul-stirring  sermons.  I  felt  much  at 
home  with  the  Canada  pilgrims  and  greatly  enjoyed 
laboring  with  them.  I  readily  discovered  that  mere 
nationality  need  not  be  a  dividing  factor  between 
the  children  of  God.  I  have  ever  since  felt  a  strong 
attachment  to  the  pilgrims  in  that  Dominion. 
Brother  Sage  so  ordered  affairs  on  the  ground  as  to 
give  the  Holy  Spirit  the  best  opportunity  to  work 
on  the  hearts  of  the  people.  The  altar  services 
were  a  marked  feature  of  the  meeting.  No  stereo- 
typed order  was  observed,  but  when  the  call  to 
prayer  was  given  every  one  began  to  plead  with  God 
for  victory.  To  one  not  accustomed  to  hearing  all 
pray  at  once  it  would  seem  a  little  confusing,  but 
as  the  Spirit  came  and  souls  were  liberated  the 
confused  feeling  disappeared.  In  addition  to  the 
souls  saved  at  that  meeting  a  deep-seated  prejudice 
which  had  existed  in  the  community  against  our 
]!eople  was  removed,  and  the  prospects  for  our  work 
greatly  brightened.  James  Craig  and  A.  H.  Nor- 
rington  were  also  a  part  of  the  ministerial  force. 

After  spending  a   few  days  with  my  family  at 


I5UUTON  li.  JONES 


123 


Mother  Sanford's,  near  Albion,  New  York,  we  as- 
sisted Brother  Worthington  in  a  quarterly  meeting 
at  Niagara  Falls,  Ontario.  Following  that  meet- 
ing came  our  first  visit  to  the  great  waterfall.  We 
visited  nearly  every  point  of  interest  about  old  Ni- 
agara, and  could  but  exclaim  as  we  viewed  that 
wonder  of  nature,  "How  marvelous  are  Thy  works, 

0  God." 

Before  returning  home  we  took  occasion  to  stop 
over  night  at  the  home  of  Brother  W.  B.  Pattridge, 
pastor  at  Tonawanda,  New  York.  Brother  P.  did 
much  to  help  me  in  my  early  Christian  experience, 
and  the  few  hours  spent  at  his  home  w^ere  very 
enjoyable  and  profitable  to  me.  He  has  since  gone 
to  his  rew^ard. 

The  quarterly  meeting  held  at  Pleasant  Grove, 
Ohio,  July  9-11,  was  of  special  interest.  The  weather 
was  intensely  hot  and  the  farmers  very  busy  in 
their  harvest  fields.  But  God  took  advantage  of 
unfavorable  conditions  and  displayed  His  marvel- 
ous power.  The  Saturday  afternoon  sermon  was 
followed  by  an  altar  service  at  which  one  soul  was 
graciously  saved.  The  Holy  Spirit  contirued  with 
us  during  the  Sunday  services.  The  place  was  filled 
with  the  divine  presence.    At  the  afternoon  service 

1  read  the  General  Rules  and  received  several  per- 
sons into  the  church.  This  was  followed  by  a  sea- 
son of  prayer  during  which  the  Holy  Spirit  was 
richly  outpoured,  convincing  the  spiritually  minded 
that  we  were  in  divine  order,  and  that  God  is 
pleased  to  have  saved  people  join  a  saved  church. 
There  was  so  much  conviction  on  the  congregation 
that  I  felt  led  to  extend  an  altar  call.    One  man 


124 


LIFE  AND  LABORS  OF 


responded  and  in  a  few  minutes  he  was  gloriously 
saved.  Soon  another  man  came  reeling  and  groan- 
ing to  the  altar,  crying  for  mercy.  A  few  struggles, 
followed  by  a  simple,  child-like  trust  in  God  and 
he  was  made  blessedly  free.  It  was  a  glorious 
victory  and  the  saints  entered  into  it  with  full 
hearts.  The  clouds  lifted  and  the  prospects  bright- 
ened. So  long  as  the  church  keeps  the  anointing 
of  the  Spirit  her  influence  for  good  will  be  felt 
and  victories  will  be  gained.  But  when  she  loses 
her  enthusiasm  and  relapses  into  mere  ''conven- 
tional performances  of  religious  acts"  her  soul- 
saving  power  is  lost. 

The  second  annual  session  of  the  Ohio  conference, 
held  at  Summerfield,  October  L3  17,  1880,  was  a 
season  of  spiritual  uplift  to  God's  children.  Soon 
after  conference  I  responded  to  an  urgent  call  from 
Chicago  Junction.  A  few  saved  people  had  gotten 
their  eyes  open  to  the  formality  and  death  of  the 
churches  about  them  and  longed  for  something  bet- 
ter. They  were  suffering  bitter  persecution  on  ac- 
count of  the  firm  stand  they  had  taken  for  truth 
and  holiness.  A  schoolhouse  had  been  engaged  for 
our  meeting,  but  on  arriving  at  the  place  we  found 
the  house  closed  against  us.  We  returned  to 
Brother  Cain's  in  good  spirits  and  held  our  first 
service  in  his  house.  We  had  some  blessed  meet- 
ings, attended  with  encouraging  results.  At  the 
close  we  organized  a  society  of  ten  good,  reliable 
members.  In  1883  the  annual  conference  was  held 
there  and  a  new  church  dedicated  by  Superintend- 
ent Hart. 

On  December  11,  1880,  Mrs.  J.  and  I  arrived  at 


BURTON  R  JONES 


125 


New  Albany,  Ohio,  where  S.  F.  Way  had  opened  a 
new  work.  We  were  assigned  headquarters  at 
Brother  Granger's,  whose  wife  was  identified 
with  the  new  movement.  The  Congregational 
church  had  been  opened  to  us,  and  we  liad 
a  crowded  house  from  the  bi'ginning.  At  the 
second  service  the  altar  was  filled  with  seekers. 
Several  were  saved.  One  sister  who  had  received 
light  on  separation  from  the  world  laid  aside  her 
jewelry  and  artificials  while  kneeling  at  the  altar. 
The  Spirit  of  God  came  upon  her  and  she  preached 
a  powerful  sermon  on  personal  adornment.  As 
the  work  moved  with  increasing  power  Satan  mar 
shalled  his  forces  against  us.  Formalists  and  mem 
bers  of  secret  lodges  waged  bitter  opposition  to  the 
work.'  An  unsuccessful  attempt  was  made  to  close 
the  church  against  us.  Our  faith  was  unshaken. 
The  mighty  Conqueror  was  in  full  command  and 
the  battle  went  steadily  on.  As  one  after  another 
came  into  the  light  they  would  exhort  their  uncon- 
verted friends  to  seek  the  Lord,  and  those  exhorta- 
tions were  more  effectual  than  any  sermons  we 
could  preach.  We  had  been  earnestly  praying  for 
just  such  a  revival.  Some  were  saved  or  sanctified 
at  nearly  every  meeting.  We  closed  the  year  with 
a  watch-night  service,  while  the  revival  continued 
with  steadily  increasing  interest  and  power. 

A  sudden  death  during  the  meeting  created  a 
deep  impression  on  the  community.  A  lady  who 
was  in  her  usual  health  in  the  morning  was  taken 
seriously  ill  at  11 :00  a.  m.  She  soon  became  un- 
conscious and  at  4 :00  p.  m.  was  dead.  She  died 
without  hope.    In  conducting  the  funeral  service 


12G 


LIFE  AND  LABORS  OF 


I  urged  the  necessity  of  immediate  preparation  to 
meet  (lod  as  suggested  by  Amos  4:  12.  How  sad 
to  die  alone! 

We  closed  the  meeting  January  2,  1881.  Twenty- 
five  or  thirty  souls  were  saved  and  a  Free  Methodist 
society  of  fourteen  members  was  organized.  The 
principal  of  the  public  school  and  his  wife,  who 
was  also  a  teacher,  were  converted  and  united  with 
the  new  society.  That  was  a  great  day  for  New 
Albany.  To  some  the  organization  of  a  Free  Meth- 
odist society  seemed  a  misfortune,  but  to  others 
ir  was  regarded  as  the  greatest  blessing  that  had 
come  to  the  town  for  many  years.  It  was  a  stun- 
ning blow  to  the  formality  and  worldliness  of  the 
popular  churches,  but  a  blessing  to  the  cause  of 
God. 

A  few  weeks  later  I  returned  to  the  place  and 
held  an  interesting  quarterly  meeting,  at  which 
time  several  more  united  with  the  society.  The  con- 
flict continued.  Every  inch  of  ground  was  closely 
contested,  but  the  truth  triumphed  and  later  I  had 
the  privilege  of  dedicating  a  new  Free  Methodist 
church  at  that  place. 

It  was  my  aim  when  district  chairman  to  open 
up  one  or  more  new  points  each  year.  When  en- 
gaged in  a  special  meeting  I  had  my  quarterly 
meetings  supplied  and  remained  at  the  new  point 
until  my  work  there  was  finished.  For  a  district 
elder  to  give  his  time  wholly  to  his  quarterly  meet- 
ings and  spend  no  time  in  evangelistic  work  on  his 
district  was  not  the  original  idea  of  the  traveling 
eldership. 

July  2,  1881,  the  country  was  shocked  by  the  at 


BURTON  K.  JONES 


127 


tempted  assassination  of  President  Garfield.  For 
over  two  niontlis  tiie  nation  was  held  in  feverish 
suspense.  On  September  20tli  the  news  of  the 
President's  death  flashed  over  the  wires,  llis  home 
being-  near  Cleveland,  the  fearful  tragedy  created 
intense  excitement  in  that  city.  A  profound  sym- 
pathy for  a  sorrowing  nation  was  aroused  through- 
out the  civilized  world.  That  the  head  of  a  great 
nation  should  be  shot  down  in  the  time  of  peace 
and  prosperity  is  one  of  the  mysteries  of  Provi- 
dence that  the  human  mind  cannot  solve. 

It  was  our  privilege  to  assist  in  entertaining  the 
annual  conference  at  Cleveland,  September  1-5, 1881. 
At  that  session  we  were  called  upon  to  chronicle 
the  death  of  Brother  C.  B.  Schaefer,  a  promising 
young  man  who  had  been  in  the  ministry  but  a  few 
years.  J.  W.  Headley  and  J.  E.  Williams  were  added 
to  our  ministerial  force  that  year.  They  are  still 
in  the  active  work  in  the  conference,  having  served 
a  number  of  years  as  district  elders. 

On  my  thirty-seventh  birthday,  returning  from 
a  visit  at  my  father's  home  in  Michigan,  I  stepped 
into  the  courthouse  at  Hastings  to  witness  the  clo- 
sing scene  of  a  very  exciting  trial.  I  entered  in 
time  to  hear  the  judge  say  to  the  prisoner,  "You 
will  please  arise.''  A  tall,  emaciated  form  with 
haggard  look,  arose  to  his  feet.  The  judge  in- 
quired, "Have  you  anything  to  say  why  the  sen- 
tence of  the  law  should  not  be  pronounced  upon 
you?"  The  prisoner  replied,  "I  don't  know  that  I 
have."  After  narrating  a  few  incidents  in  the  case 
the  judge  said,  "It  becomes  my  duty  to  pronounce 
sentence  upon  you.   You  shall  be  consigned  to  hard 


128 


LIFE  AND  LABOIiS  OF 


labor  in  the  Jackson  penitentiary  for  the  term  of 
twelve  years.''  The  cold  irons  were  clasped  upon 
the  prisoner's  wrists,  and  he  was  hurried  away  to 
his  long  and  weary  confinement.  Actuated  by  jeal- 
ousy and  crazed  by  liquor,  he  had  brutally  slaugh- 
tered his  comrade.  A  few  minutes  later,  as  I  en- 
tered the  depot,  my  eyes  fell  upon  a  young  man 
whose  glaring  eyes  and  haggard  countenance 
bore  witness  against  him.  He  swayed  his  head 
back  and  forth,  uttering  unintelligible  words. 
''\yhat  is  the  trouble?"  I  inquired  of  a  group  of 
boys  standing  near.  ''He's  drunk  I  he's  drunk!" 
cried  one  after  another.  ''It's  Mr.  G — ,  the  drug- 
gist; he's  drunk." 

What  a  sad  spectacle  I  A  young  man  of  rare  abili- 
ties, of  a  wealthy  family,  wrecked  by  dissipation. 
The  fiery  serpent  had  slowly  coiled  itself  around  its 
unfortunate  victim  until  he  who  was  once  a  young 
man  of  promise  had  become  an  object  of  contempt 
and  ridicule. 

The  social  glass  '"occasionally"  indulged  is  but 
a  step  toward  a  drunkard's  grave  and  a  drunkard's 
hell.  ''Look  not  upon  the  wine  when  it  is  red,  when 
it  giveth  his  color  in  the  cup,"  is  the  voice  of  wis- 
dom; and  they  who  disregard  that  sacred  injunc- 
tion will  find  "at  the  last  it  biteth  like  a  serpent, 
and  stingeth  like  an  adder." 

A  little  later  while  driving  through  Northern 
Ohio,  we  passed  a  shabby  looking  farmhouse,  with 
a  weather-beaten  frame  of  an  upright  attached. 
Some  one  remarked,  "There  is  an  unfinished  house." 
"Yes,"  said  Brother  W.,  "and  a  drinking  man  lives 
there."    The  incident  made  a  deep  impression  upon 


BURTON  It.  JONES 


my  mind.  An  ^'unfinished  house,"  the  standing  ad- 
vertisement of  'a  drunken  husband  and  father! 

How  many  husbands  and  fathers  are  scjuander- 
ing  their  hard-earned  wages  at  the  saloon  and 
other  haunts  of  iniquity,  while  their  families  are 
left  hungry  and  destitute.  Drunkenness  is  a  pro- 
lific cause  of  poverty  and  crime.  Many  wasted  for- 
tunes, blasted  hopes  and  wrecked  characters  lie 
strewn  along  its  pathway. 

At  the  time  of  this  writing  (1909)  the  war  against 
the  liquor  traffic  is  being  prosecuted  with  steadily 
increasing  vigor.  The  best  elements  in  the  sects, 
parties  and  nationalities  are  uniting  their  forces 
against  this  brazen  enemy  of  society  and  good  gov- 
ernment, and  only  a  more  thorough  awakening  of 
the  public  conscience  is  necessary  to  its  complete 
overthrow.  To  insure  the  enforcement  of  whole- 
some laws  rascally  office-holders  must  be  routed. 
Present  conditions  require  men  of  lofty  ideals  of 
character,  men  capable  of  resisting  the  tremendous 
pressure  of  political  rings  and  cliques;  men  who 
scorn  to  stultify  their  own  conscience  or  offend  the 
moral  sensibilities  of  the  people  whom  they  would 
serve.  The  ''irrepressible  conflict"  is  raging,  and 
all  signs  point  to  the  ultimate  overthrow  of  the 
liquor  traffic. 


CHAPTER  XVII. 


On  arriving  at  ,  Ohio,  I  found  serious  difficul- 
ties had  arisen  in  the  society.  The  breach  between 
the  pastor  and  his  members  appeared  quite  irrep- 
arable under  existing  conditions.  Under  a  "'sense 
of  duty"  the  good  brethren  closed  the  church 
against  the  pastor.  He,  unwilling  to  ''compromise 
the  truth,"  burst  the  door  open  with  an  ax,  deter- 
mined that  the  banner  of  ^'perfect  love"  should  be 
kept  floating  over  that  sacred  spot.  Conditions 
were  so  serious  that  the  removal  of  the  pastor  be- 
came necessary,  after  which  the  work  took  on  a 
more  encouraging  aspect. 

It  is  the  work  of  Satan  to  create  division  in  the 
church  of  God.  To  encourage  "envying  and  strife" 
is  to  court  "confusion  and  every  evil  work."  Many 
a  promising  society  has  been  hopelessly  wrecked  by 
internal  strife  and  dissension.  Such  conditions  in- 
dicate a  loss  6f  grace.  The  saying,  "Sheep  never 
quarrel  unless  they  first  draw  back,"  is  quite  sig- 
nificant. When  envy,  railing,  evil  surmising,  exist 
it  is  evident  some  one  has  "drawn  back,"  and  of 
such  God  says,  "My  soul  shall  have  no  pleasure  in 
him."  If  every  one  would  heed  the  counsel  of  Solo- 
mon and  "leave  off  contention  before  it  be  meddled 
with,"  it  would  save  the  church  many  a  serious 
wound. 

At  West  Flint,  Michigan,  February  4,  5,  1882, 

130 


BUKTON  I{.  JONES 


131 


I  assisted  in  the  dedication  of  a  new  church,  J. 
H.  Joslyn,  pastor.  The  indebtedness  having  been 
provided  for  on  Saturday  the  Sabbath  was  devoted 
exclusively  to  prayer,  i)raise,  testimony  and  preach- 
ing. It  was  a  blessed  day.  The  attendance  was 
large  and  the  saints  triumphed  most  gloriously. 
The  salvation  of  two  souls  crowned  the  services  of 
the  day. 

The  work  at  Big  Kapids,  Ohio,  had  strengthened 
sufficiently  to  warrant  the  society  in  attempting  to 
entertain  the  annual  conference,  which,  by  invita- 
tion, assembled  there.  August  24,  1882.  The  ses 
sion  was  very  harmonious  and  proved  a  spiritual 
uplift  to  the  work.  I  was  re-elected  traveling 
chairman,  but  feeling  it  my  duty  to  be  more  at 
home  with  my  family,  I  resigned  and  was  ap- 
pointed pastor  for  Summerfield  circuit  and  vSta- 
tioned  chairman  for  the  district.  Brother  C.  F. 
Irish  succeeded  me  on  the  Cleveland  and  Toledo 
districts. 

The  first  work  after  conference  was  to  "pack  up" 
and  prepare  for  a  long  move  to  our  new  field — a 
task  for  which,  in  those  days,  I  had  no  special  dis- 
like. 

En  route  to  our  circuit  we  stopped  over  a  few 
days  at  Chicago  Junction  to  assist  in  getting  the 
new  church  enterprise  on  a  good  basis.  We  suc- 
ceeded in  enlarging  the  subscription  materially  and 
encouraging  the  saints.  On  reaching  our  circuit 
we  were  warmly  received  at  the  home  of  Brother 
and  Sister  E.  H.  Taylor,  where  we  were  entertained 
until  we  could  get  settled  in  the  parsonage  at  Sum- 
merfield. 


132 


LIFE  AND  LABORS  OF 


Our  first  service  at  Summerfield  marked  the  clos- 
ing scene  of  an  interesting  incident.  While  at- 
tending conference  there  in  1880,  the  Lord  gave  me 
special  help  in  preaching.  A  good  brother  of  a 
neighboring  church  was  very  favorably  impressed 
and  said  to  a  friend,  "'If  the  Free  Methodists  will 
send  that  man  to  Summerfield  I  will  help  support 
him."  I  was  sent,  and  the  good  brother  was  pres- 
ent to  hear  my  first  sermon.  He  took  offense  at 
some  remark  I  made  and  decided  at  once  that  not 
a  dollar  of  his  should  go  to  support  a  man  that 
preached  such  doctrine  as  that. 

After  going  twice  around  the  circuit  I  took  a 
two  weeks'  absence  to  attend  general  conference  at 
Burlington,  Iowa,  to  which  I  had  been  elected  dele- 
gate. That  session  was  noted  for  the  number  of 
changes  made  in  the  Discipline  of  the  church, 
about  forty  amendments  being  adopted.  A  change 
was  recommended,  and  afterward  approved  by  the 
annual  conferences,  defining  the  general  rule  on 
"softness  and  needless  self-indulgence"  so  as  to  pro- 
hibit the  "habitual  use  of  opiates,"  and  adding  a 
foot-note  applying  the  rule  to  the  "growing,  manu- 
facture and  sale  of  tobacco."  Thus  the  rules  were 
gradually  strengthened  along  the  lines  of  forbidden 
self-indulgences.  The  chapter  on  "Temperance" 
was  added,  expressing  strong  Prohibition  senti- 
ment. The  section  on  "Evangelists"  was  re- 
vised so  as  to  give  the  general  superintendents 
authority  to  appoint  a  general  evangelist  to 
travel  through  the  country  at  large  and  open  new 
fields  and  organize  new  societies.  The  salaries 
of  the  general  superintendents   were  fixed  at  a 


BURTON  K.  JONES 


133 


given  amount  and  a  plan  adopted  for  raising  the 
same.  A  hymn-book  committee  was  appointed  with 
instructions  as  to  compiling  and  publishing  a  de- 
nominational hymn-book.  Up  to  that  time  the 
Methodist  Episcopal  hymn-book  was  in  general  use 
among  our  people.  Rev.  J.  Travis  was  elected  edi- 
tor of  The  Free  Methodist,  being  the  first  editor 
elected  by  the  church.  On  the  last  Sabbath  of  the 
conference  Brother  T.  preached  a  remarkable  ser- 
mon, creating  a  profound  impression  upon  the  large 
audience.  It  was  clear,  luminous,  pithy,  compre- 
hensive and  full  of  practical  suggestions,  taking 
hold  alike  on  ministry  and  laity.  He  is  still  held 
in  precious  memory  by  the  church. 

The  religious  services  were  of  a  high  spiritual 
order.  A  number  were  saved  during  the  conffer 
ence.  My  association  with  the  brethren  was  an  in- 
spiration to  me  and  I  returned  to  my  work  with 
old  "woes''  and  "worries"  all  buried  and  my  soul 
renewed  for  the  conflict,  saying, 

"All  my  soul  can  wish  forever, 
I  do  find  in  Christ  complete; 
Ev'ry  blessing  and  the  Giver 
In  my  peaceful  bosom  meet." 

On  October  24,  1882,  my  brother  William  died 
of  typhoid  fever  at  his  home  in  Detroit,  Michigan. 
He  was  the  first  of  a  family  of  nine  children  to  fall 
by  the  hand  of  death.  William  was  converted  in 
the  fall  of  1875,  and  soon  after  experienced  the 
work  of  holiness.  He  was  a  living  witness  for 
Christ,  and  took  special  delight  in  the  means  of 
grace.    His  clear,   ringing  testimonies   often  ap- 


134 


LIFE  AND  LABOKS  OF 


peared  in  The  Free  Methodist.  When  death  came 
it  found  him  ready.  His  passage  to  the  sky  was 
peaceful  and  triumphant. 

On  the  Summerfield  circuit  I  found  some  men  of 
sterling  Christian  character  who,  for  several  years, 
had  been  the  pillars  of  the  church  in  that  region. 
Among  them  were  Brothers  Round,  Trott,  Taylor, 
Massey,  Matheny,  Barnes,  Baker,  Hamilton  and 
others.  They  were  men  who  could  be  relied  upon 
to  stand  by  the  work  of  God,  no  matter  what  crisis 
might  arii^e  or  what  sacrifice  might  be  involved. 
They  were  not  of  the  class  who  enjoy  getting  up  a 
"good  feeling"  in  the  church  provided  it  costs 
neither  labor  nor  sacrifice. 

A  three  weeks'  meeting  at  East  Union,  Ohio,  in 
the  fall  of  1882,  resulted  in  a  general  upbuilding  of 
the  work  there.  A  number  were  clearly  converted 
and  many  wholly  sanctified.  Among  our  faithful 
helpers  was  William  Barnes,  generally  known  as 
"Uncle  Billy."  He  inspired  our  meetings  with  his 
fervent  prayers  and  holy  songs.  When  "Uncle 
Billy"  passed  to  his  home  in  the  skies  the  society 
was  in  deep  mourning;  a  great  loss  had  been  sus- 
tained. 

In  the  society  at  East  Union  was  a  good  brother 
A — ,  faithful  in  attending  the  means  of  grace,  and 
regular  in  his  contributions  to  the  church,  but  some- 
what given  to  severe  criticism.  He  was  a  Zinzen- 
dorfian  in  belief,  but  in  some  way  had  succeeded 
in  passing  the  doorway  of  the  church  without  ex- 
posing his  peculiar  faith.  Often  in  my  preaching 
I  referred  to  the  experience  of  entire  sanctification 
as  taking  place  subsequently  to  justification,  and 


BURTON  K.  JONES 


135 


as  a  work  wrought  instantaneously  on  the  conse- 
crated, believing  soul.  To  that  doctrine  our  good 
brother  A —  took  exceptions  and  offered  public 
criticism.  That  was  the  first  case  I  had  ever  met 
where  a  Free  Methodist  presumed  to  oppose  the 
preaching  of  what  is  known  as  the  "second  work  of 
grace."  Knowing  it  to  be  the  doctrine  of  the 
church,  I  continued  to  preach  it  and  urge  believers 
to  seek  it  as  a  definite  experience.  Several  sincere 
souls  walked  in  the  light  and  exultantly,  like  one 
who  discovers  hidden  wealth,  with  inexpressible  joy 
entered  upon  the  possession  of  their  purchased  in- 
heritance. Such  instances  served  to  arouse  Brother 
A —  and  his  conduct  was  conclusive  evidence  that 
he  was  "yet  carnal."  Discovering  that  he  was  out 
of  harmony  with  the  doctrine  of  the  church,  he 
did  the  consistent  thing — withdrew  from  the  so- 
ciety. That  step  proved  to  be  a  blessing  to  him- 
self and  to  the  church.  He  soon  became  concerned 
for  his  soul,  returned  to  God,  sought  and  experi- 
enced the  "second  work,"  reunited  with  the  church, 
and  about  two  years  later  died  and  went  to  heaven. 
Had  we  compromised  with  him  the  church  would 
have  suffered  and  his  soul  might  have  been  lost. 

We  opened  the  year  1883  with  a  rousing  "big 
meeting"  at  Perryopolis,  Ohio,  resulting  in  a  goodly 
number  of  conversions  and  the  general  quickening 
of  the  church.  At  this  point  lived  Brother  and 
Sister  Martin  Matheny,  tried  and  true,  whose  home 
was  ever  open  to  the  pastor  and  his  family.  They 
still  stand  as  unshaken  pillars  of  the  church. 

At  Summerfield  I  found  the  struggling  society 
in  a  discouraged  state.    A  four  weeks'  protracted 


136 


LIFE  AND  LABORS  OF 


effort  resulted  in  great  good  to  the  church  and  oth- 
ers. Superintendent  Roberts  had  been  engaged  to 
conduct  this  series  of  meetings.  He  arrived  on 
Saturday  and  on  the  following  Wednesday  took  his 
departure  on  an  early  train.  That  made  matters 
doubly  embarrassing  for  me,  but  the  Great  Head  of 
the  church  continued  with  us  and  the  work  went 
steadily  on.  At  the  close  of  these  services  I  started 
a  weekly  ''holiness  meeting,"  which  was  something 
new  to  the  people  there,  and  proved  to  be  interest 
ing  and  profitable.  I  gave  a  series  of  Bible  read 
ings  on  such  topics  as,  ''Bible  Description  of  Heart 
Purity,"  "Holiness  Commanded,"  ''The  Two  States 
of  Experience,"  "Consecration,"  "Faith.'  A  aum 
ber  entered  into  the  experience  of  holiness. 

It  was  in  Southern  Ohio  that  I  had  my  first  se 
vere  attack  of  rheumatism.  The  climate  was  most 
unfavorable  for  persons  subject  to  such  troubles.  It 
appeared  at  that  time  as  though  my  career  as  a 
gospel  minister  was  nearing  the  close.  My  faith 
was  severely  tested.  I  felt  that  it  would  require 
more  grace  to  become  reconciled  to  being  laid  aside 
than  to  continue  in  the  active  work.  The  sancti 
fied  person,  though  without  sin,  is  not  without  feel- 
ing. While  full  of  faith  and  the  Holy  Ghost,  he 
carries  his  treasure  in  an  "earthen  vessel."  But 
the  Lord  showed  me  that  in  suffering  patiently  I 
could  glorify  Him.  "They  also  serve  who  onlv 
stand  and  wait."  Yet  it  required  the  passing  of 
many  years  to  enable  me  to  read  with  any  certainty 
what  were  the  hidden  purposes  of  an  over  ruling 
Providence  in  my  own  case.    I  learned  the  lesson  of 


BUKTON  li.  JONES 


137 


complete  reliance  upon  the  Infinite  Father,  and  thus 
triumphed. 

In  the  fall  of  1883  we  had  the  pleasure  of  meet- 
ing in  annual  conference  session  in  the  new  church 
at  Chicago  Junction.  Only  those  who  knew  of  the 
struggles  and  sacrifices  involved  in  establishing 
the  work  and  erecting  the  new  church  at  that  point 
could  fully  appreciate  the  situation.  But  a  few 
understood  the  conditions  and  were  made  glad. 

An  incident  which  now  seems  amusing  to  me  oc- 
curred in  connection  with  fixing  the  time  for  hold- 
ing our  annual  conference  session  that  year.  The 
general  superintendent  who  w^as  to  preside  had 
given  us  October  10-14.  As  secretary  of  the  confer- 
ence I  corresponded  with  him  requesting  an  ear- 
lier date,  and  possibly  stated  the  case  quite  as 
strongly  as  conditions  would  warrant.  The  good 
superintendent  replied,  coolly  informing  us  that 
the  Ohio  conference  would  be  held  October  10-14. 
That  was  by  no  means  satisfactory,  but  as  there 
was  no  appeal  from  the  decision  I  contented  myself 
by  simply  writing  in  my  diary,  "The  arbitrary  con- 
duct of  some  men  holding  official  position  in  the 
church  is  far  from  pleasant  to  meet." 

From  this  conference  I  returned  to  the  Summer- 
field  circuit  for  another  year.  For  several  years 
Brother  Trott  had  furnished  the  pastor  of  the  cir- 
cuit with  a  comfortable  parsonage,  but  held  the 
property  in  his  own  name,  intending  to  transfer 
the  title  to  the  church  before  his  death.  As  he  was 
an  old  man  and  liable  soon  to  pass  away,  my  first 
work  after  conference  was  to  secure  to  the  church 
a  deed  for  the  property  and  make  needed  repairs 


138 


LIFE  AND  LABORS  OF 


on  the  buildings.  That  being  completed  I  responded 
to  a  call  for  a  few  meetings  at  West  Liberty,  West 
Virginia,  then  within  the  bounds  of  the  Ohio  con- 
ference. There  I  met  a  few  earnest  Christians  who 
were  dissatisfied  with  the  formality  and  death  that 
prevailed  in  the  churches  around  them.  The  meet- 
ings were  held  in  a  private  room  and  were  a  means 
of  strength  and  inspiration  to  the  little  band  which 
was  bravely  struggling  to  plant  the  standard  of 
holiness  in  that  barren  field.  That  was  my  first 
visit  to  West  Virginia,  and  about  the  first  intro- 
duction of  our  work  in  that  state.  There  is  now  a 
West  Virginia  district,  embracing  several  circuits, 
and  is  embraced  in  the  territory  of  the  Pittsburg 
conference. 

At  the  close  of  1883  I  wrote  in  my  journal:  "We 
are  engaged  in  an  interesting  revival  service  at 
8unimerfield.  One  saved  to-night.  We  continue  in 
faith,  trusting  God  for  further  victories.  Farewell, 
Old  Year.  Many  have  been  our  conflicts  and  con- 
quests since  thou  didst  appear.  Many  bright  days 
have  we  enjoyed  during  thy  stay.  But  thou  hast 
gone.  The  record  is  unalterably  fixed.  Many  have 
died  during  thy  reign,  but  many  more  have  put- 
lived  thee.  May  the  lessons  we  learned  while  thou 
wast  passing  be  of  great  and  lasting  benefit  to  us 
who  remain." 

In  January,  1884,  we  held  a  two  weeks'  meeting 
at  Sarahsville,  Ohio.  There  was  no  Free  Methodist 
society  in  the  place  at  that  time,  and  Free  Meth 
odism  was  comparatively  new  in  that  locality.  The 
pilgrims  rallied  from  dift'erent  points  and  the  bat- 
tle was  set  in  array.    Satan  marshalled  his  forces 


BUirrON  II.  JONES 


139 


against  us  and  the  confiiet  became  fierce.  The  line 
of  battle  was  clearly  defined  and  decided  positions 
were  taken.  Tobacco  victims,  fashion  devotees, 
lodge  dupes,  all  united  in  one  general  charge  on  the 
little  company  of  the  Lord's  ''royal  gunners"  who 
were  ''set  for  the  defense  of  the  gospel."  The 
God  of  battles  was  at  the  head  of  the  new  move- 
ment. The  church  was  densely  crowded,  and  at 
times  the  interest  was  intense.  The  pastor  of  an 
adjoining  church  began  special  services,  evidently 
to  keep  his  people  from  our  meetings,  but  the  ex- 
periment was  a  dismal  failure,  as  the  people  con- 
tinued to  crowd  our  church.  The  truth,  triumphed. 
There  were  a  number  of  clear  conversions,  a  Free 
Methodist  society  organized  and  the  work  of  holi- 
ness established.  A  few  years  later  I  had  the  pleas- 
ure of  dedicating  a  new  Free  Methodist  church  in 
that  place,  and  in  that  church  had  my  first  experi- 
ence in  presiding  at  an  annual  conference. 

Little  did  I  realize  at  the  opening  of  the  year 
1884  what  the  coming  months  had  in  store  for  me. 
During  our  meeting  at  Sarahsville  in  January  my 
companion  contracted  a  severe  cold  which  settled 
on  her  lungs,  developing  into  quick  consumption, 
of  which  she  died  on  the  16th  of  March  following. 
In  her  life  she  exemplified  the  grace  of  purity.  She 
took  pleasure  in  home  duties  as  well  as  in  public 
religious  exercises.  She  triumphed  gloriously 
throughout  her  last  sickness.  Though  a  great  suf- 
ferer, she  never  complained.  Death  had  no  terrors 
for  her.  As  we  gathered  at  her  bedside  she  gave 
us  each  a  parting  word,  assuring  us  that  the  cross- 
ing was  brighter  than  she  had  ever  imagined  it 


140 


LIFE  AND  LABORS  OF 


could  possibly  be.  As  she  lingered  at  the  river's 
brink  I  said,  "My  dear,  you  are  dying."  With  a 
beaming  countenance  she  exclaimed,  "And  is  this 
all  there  is  of  it?"  Yes,  death  was  a  conquered 
foe.  As  the  end  drew  near  the  Holy  Spirit  im- 
pressed upon  her  mind  the  blessed  commendation, 
"8he  hath  done  what  she  could."  That  afforded 
her  great  comfort  and  satisfaction.  She  remained 
calm  and  peaceful,  awaiting  the  final  summons.  As 
death  approached,  her  pure  spirit,  in  anticipation 
of  soon  being  freed  from  the  pains  and  restraints 
of  mortality,  burst  forth  in  rapturous  praises  and 
exultations  that  made  the  room  seem  more  like  a 
place  of  rejoicing  than  a  place  of  mourning.  Later 
she  became  unconscious  of  her  surroundings  and 
soon  her  ransomed  spirit  passed  into  the  realms  of 
eternal  day,  there  to  gaze  forever  upon  those  en- 
rapturing scenes  that  feast  the  vision  of  the  glori- 
fied. "Blessed  are  the  dead  which  die  in  the  Lord 
from  henceforth:  yea,  saith  the  Spirit,  that  they 
may  rest  from  their  labors;  and  their  works  do  fol- 
low them." 

Soon  after  the  death  of  my  companion  it  became 
necessary  to  break  up  our  home.  Brother  and  Sis- 
ter E.  H.  Taylor  very  kindly  opened  their  home  to 
us,  and  Sister  T.  took  the  oversight  of  my  two 
motherless  children  until  the  close  of  the  conference 
year.  During  the  summer  I  suffered  extremely  with 
rheumatism,  and  at  times  it  seemed  as  though  ray 
active  labors  must  soon  end.  With  two  helpless 
children  to  care  for,  conditions  looked  forbidding. 
The  sense  of  loneliness  that  came  over  me  at  times 
is  simply  indescribable.    Every  kindness  was  shown 


BURTON  R.  JONES 


141 


irie  by  in}'  many  friends,  but  no  place  was  homo 
to  me. 

In  the  early  summer  an  additional  sorrow 
came  to  me  in  the  death  of  my  brother  Byron,  of 
Detroit.  My  rheumatic  troubles  steadily  increased, 
and  the  outlook  for  this  life  was  not  at  all  flat- 
tering. But  my  faith  in  God  remained  firm  and 
I  felt  sure  He  would  work  all  things  out  for  my 
good. 

On  June  18th,  while  engaged  in  secret  prayer  in 
Brother  Trott's  parlor,  I  experienced  a  special  di- 
vine visitation.  Oh!  hallowed  spot.  There  I  gained 
a  glorious  victory  over  every  condition  and  circum- 
stance. T  saw  clearly  that  the  Lord's  hand  was 
upon  me  and  that  He  would  order  my  steps.  That 
was  the  victory  my  heart  had  long  yearned  for.  I 
rested  in  the  divine  will,  assured  that  the  God 
whom  T  loved  and  served  is  equal  to  developing 
needs  and  problems  and  can  fill  the  largest  life. 


CHAPTER  XVIII. 


On  August  23d  I  took  my  leave  of  the  Summerfield 
circuit,  and,  accompanied  by  a  good  delegation  of 
pilgrims,  started  for  New  Albany,  Ohio,  the  seat 
of  the  annual  conference.  On  taking  the  parting 
hand  we  discovered  that  a  strong  attachment  had 
been  formed  during  our  two  years'  association  with 
that  people. 

Our  conference  session  was  harmonious  and  spir- 
itual and  an  inspiration  to  both  the  ministry  and 
the  laity.  I  was  re-elected  district  chairman,  but 
my  condition  and  circumstances  rendered  it  im- 
practicable for  me  to  travel  a  district.  My  breth- 
ren very  kindly  accepted  my  resignation  and  gave 
me  the  relation  of  an  evangelist  in  view  of  taking 
some  time  for  rest,  hoping  thereby  to  recruit  my 
health. 

Having  read  of  the  famous  mineral  springs  at 
Mt.  Clemens,  Michigan,  I  decided  to  test  their  me- 
dicinal qualities.  After  ten  days'  trial  I  found 
myself  quite  thoroughly  impregnated  with  salt, 
iron,  sulphur,  etc.,  and  my  general  health  some- 
what improved,  but  the  seat  of  the  disease  was 
not  reached.  I  continued  to  suffer  by  night  and 
carry  my  cane  by  day. 

On  September  24,  1884,  we  reached  Gerry,  New 
York,  where,  by  kindness  of  Brother  and  Sister 
W.  A.  Sellew,  a  place  had  been  provided  for  my 

142 


BURTON  K.  .TONES 


143 


children  and  myself  in  the  new  seminar}-.  This 
was  a  providential  opening,  and,  though  a  stranger 
to  nearly  every  one,  1  felt  very  much  at  home.  The 
building  now  known  as  the  "Gerry  Orphanage  and 
Home,"  is  located  on  a  pleasant  rise  of  ground, 
overlooking  the  village,  and  affording  a  delightful 
view  of  the  surrounding  landscape.  I  engaged  to 
assist  in  the  pastoral  work  of  the  circuit  under  the 
direction  of  Brother  Sellew,  and  experienced  a  most 
enjoyable  year.  I  found  the  position  of  assistant 
pastor  a  pleasant  one  to  occupy. 

Soon  after  the  close  of  the  >^chool  3-ear  in  June, 
1885,  I  started  out  to  fill  some  engagements  I  had 
made  to  assist  in  special  meetings.  At  Salamanca, 
New  York,  I  assisted  Elder  J.  B.  Freeland  in  a 
very  interesting  tabernacle  meeting.  For  ten  days 
the  preachers  and  pilgrims  labored  faithfully  to 
establish  the  work  of  God  on  a  firmer  basis.  Much 
good  was  done.  A  few  souls  Avere  converted,  others 
sanctified  wholly.  Brothers  Levi  Wood  and  J.  Hi 
Harmon  assisted  in  administering  the  word  of  life. 

At  Union  Corners,  New  York,  we  began  opera- 
tions July  11th,  W.  B.  Pattridge,  pastor.  Twenty 
years  before  I  had  been  privileged  to  attend  a  dis- 
trict quarterly  meeting  at  that  place  with  J.  W. 
Reddy,  chairman,  in  charge.  That  was  a  remark- 
able meeting,  and  it  made  a  profound  impression 
on  my  mind.  But  in  1885  I  found  conditions 
greatly  changed.  Nearly  all  of  the  fathers  who  had 
been  at  the  helm  had  passed  away  and  the  spiritual 
atmosphere  was  thoroughly  chilled.  We  labored 
the  best  we  knew  for  a  few  days  and  retired  with 
but  little  visible  fruit  aside  from  the  encourage 


144 


LIFE  AND  LABORS  OF 


ment  gained  by  the  few  who  were  still  true  to  the 
divine  call. 

In  Aiij;ust,  by  invitation  of  Elder  R.  W.  Haw- 
kins, 1  attended  the  Warren,  Pennsylvania,  canip- 
nieetin^-.  There  was  a  s(ron<»-  ministerial  force  on 
the  <»ronnd,  consisting  of  Brothers  Hawkins,  Sel- 
lew,  Terrill,  McGeary,  Gaines,  Tobey,  Sager.  While 
the  occasion  was  one  of  special  inspiration  to  the 
saints  and  a  few  souls  were  saved  there  was  not 
as  general  a  victory  as  we  had  reason  to  expect. 

The  Ohio  conference  was  held  that  year  at  Ridge- 
ville.  Hnniediately  after  conference  1  spent  a  few 
days  at  New  Albany,  Ohio,  administering  comfort 
and  encouragement  to  the  society  which  was  almost 
crushed  under  the  reproach  occasioned  by  an  un- 
faithful pastor.  The  Lord  visited  us  in  a  special 
manner  and  the  faithful  ones  triumphed  over  every 
discouragement. 

At  the  home  of  Brother  and  Sister  Newell  J. 
Wilson,  of  (lerry,  I  always  found  an  open  door 
and  a  warm  welcome.  During  my  year's  stay  in 
Western  New  York,  my  health  was  fully  recovered, 
my  cane  laid  aside,  and  my  powers  of  endurance 
greatly  strengthened.  On  Novend)er  sixth  1  bade 
adieu  to  the  kind  friends  at  (Jerry,  and,  in  com- 
pany with  my  little  Mabel,  wended  my  way  west- 
ward. 

Having  received  some  urgent  invitations  to  take 
an  appointment  in  the  California  conference,  I  left 
(Jerry  fully  expecting  that  my  next  pastorate  would 
be  on  the  Pacific  coast.  But  (lOd  ordered  other- 
wise. On  November  29th  I  began  pastoral  work  at 
Spring  Arbor.    Exodus  8 :  14 — "I  Am  hath  sent  me 


BURTON  K.  JONES 


145 


unto  jou" — seemed  so  appropriate  for  the  occasion 
tliat  I  chose  those  words  for  iiiy  first  text.  I  was 
warmly  received  by  botli  -church  and  community. 

On  January  25,  188G,  our  quiet  little  village  was 
thrown  into  a  whirl  of  excitement  by  the  breaking 
out  of  fire  in  the  old  music  hall.  The  cry  of  "Fire!" 
brought  the  students  to  their  feet,  and  they  rushed 
out  of  the  main  building  without  any  regard  for 
order.  They  were  soon  on  the  ground  working 
heroically  to  extinguish  the  flames.  The  citizens 
soon  appeared  on  the  scene,  and  women  as  well  as 
men  could  be  seen  removing  articles  of  furniture 
and  hurrying  along  the  streets  with  buckets  of 
water.  The  roaring  flames  at  first  threatened  to 
consume  the  entire  building,  but  by  heroic  efforts 
they  were  soon  extinguished. 

All  felt  one  common  interest  when  the  destroy- 
ing element  was  preying  in  our  midst.  Well  would 
it  be  if  a  more  general  interest  were  felt  in  the 
spiritual  welfare  of  society  since  Satan,  the  enemy 
of  mankind,  ever  goeth  about  "seeking  whom  he 
may  devour."  The  alarm  is  sounded,  but  how  few 
hasten  to  the  rescue.  The  great  conflagration  is 
approaching  and  multitudes  of  our  fellow  men  are 
threatened  with  eternal  destruction,  yet  what 
alarming  indifference  prevails!  To  "rescue  the  per- 
ishing" is  the  work  of  the  Christian  church,  and 
to  that  work  she  should  apply  herself  with  untir- 
ing zeal. 

During  a  protracted  effort  of  about  eight  weeks 
a  number  were  converted,  several  sanctified  and  the 
society  more  fully  united.  Among  the  newly  con- 
verted were  a  number  of  students,  and  the  voice 


146 


LIFE  AND  LABORS  OF 


of  prayer  could  often  be  heard  ringing  throughout 
the  boarding  hall.  One  whole  family,  consisting 
of  father,  mother,  son  and  daughter,  was  blessedly 
saved.  The  protracted  meeting  closed,  but  the  re- 
vival went  steadily  on.  We  held  six  regular  serv- 
ices each  week  and  seekers  for  pardon  or  purity 
were  at  the  altar  at  nearly  every  service.  Fre- 
quently one  would  get  saved  at  home  during  the 
day.  A  series  of  meetings  followed  by  such  results 
is  much  more  satisfactory  than  a  great  excitement 
of  the  sentimental  order  followed  by  a  correspond- 
ing death. 

During  the  summer  of  1886  Professor  Stilwell 
made  me  a  proposition  looking  toward  my  taking 
a  position  in  the  seminary.  That  being  out  of  my 
regular  line  of  work  I  sought  to  know  the  will  of 
God  in  the  matter.  It  seemed  like  a  providential 
opening  and  I  waited  only  to  hear  the  voice  of  God 
distinctly.  In  view  of  my  responsibility  to  my 
children  it  seemed  wise  for  me  to  settle  in  some 
place  where  I  could  give  them  needed  attention 
and  at  the  same  time  work  for  the  Master. 

In  October  I  reunited  with  the  Michigan  confer- 
ence and  was  returned  to  the  Spring  Arbor  pastor- 
ate. Having  been  added  to  the  seminary  faculty 
I  took  up  quarters  in  the  boarding  hall.  Sister 
Mary  E.  Bailey,  of  precious  memory,  was  then  ma- 
tron and  proved  to  be  a  very  eflScient  manager  of 
the  boarding  department. 

It  was  my  privilege  to  represent  the  Michigan 
conference  as  one  of  its  delegates  in  the  general 
conference  at  Coopersville,  Michigan,  that  year. 
It  was  a  very  interesting  session.    Several  impor- 


BURTON  R.  JONES 


147 


tant  measures  were  inaugurated,  involving  corres- 
ponding discij)linarv  changes,  each  of  which  elic- 
ited warm  discussion.  The  order  of  general  evan- 
gelist, now  so  well  understood  by  the  church,  was 
adopted,  and  W.  B.  M.  Colt  was  elected  to  that 
office.  The  work  of  foreign  missions  was  officially 
recognized,  a  new  chapter  on  Missions  formulated, 
a  general  missionary  board  elected,  and  the  annual 
conferences  grouped  into  mission  districts.  A 
Church  Extension  and  Aid  Society  was  formed, 
composed  of  the  members  of  the  general  missionary 
board,  and  provision  made  for  organizing  an  auxil- 
iary society  in  each  annual  conference.  The  re- 
port of  the  committee  on  general  superintendency, 
recommending  the  election  of  three  general  super- 
intendents, was,  after  a  spirited  discussion, 
adopted  by  the  conference.  Revs.  B.  T.  Roberts, 
E.  P.  Hart  and  G.  W.  Coleman  were  elected,  the 
latter  being  the  newly  elected  one.  After  a  thor- 
ough canvass  of  the  situation  it  was  decided,  with 
but  few  dissenting  votes,  that  the  interests  of  the 
church  required  that  steps  be  taken  toward  found- 
ing a  publishing  house.  Chicago  was  selected  as  the 
most  suitable  location.  The  Free  Methodist,  owned 
by  T.  B.  Arnold,  was  purchased,  and  Rev.  B.  T. 
Roberts  elected  to  edit  the  same.  The  subsequent 
growth  of  the  publishing  interests  of  the  church 
ought  to  be  sufficient  to  convince  the  most  incredu- 
lous that  the  step  taken  by  the  general  conference 
of  1886  was  in  divine  order. 

On  returning  from  general  conference  I  resumed 
my  work  in  the  seminary,  which,  together  with  my 
pastoral  work,  afforded  ample  opportunity  for  the 


148 


LIFE  AND  LABORS  OF 


exercise  of  all  my  gifts  and  graces.  My  associa- 
tion with  Professors  Stihvell  and  Tiffany  in  the 
school  work  was  most  agreeable. 

One  evening  while  I  was  depressed  by  a  lonely 
and  discouraged  feeling  a  poor  heart-broken  back- 
slider came  to  my  room  desiring  to  be  prayed  for. 
We  knelt  before  the  Lord  in  prayer,  and  in  a  few 
minutes  the  burden  rolled  from  the  poor  man's 
heart  and  he  went  forth  rejoicing.  At  the  same 
time  my  feeling  of  loneliness  and  discouragement 
disappeared  and  my  heart  was  filled  with  delight. 
I  mention  this  incident  to  show  what  a  means  of 
grace  it  often  is  to  be  occupied  with  the  troubles 
and  sorrows  of  others.  To  sympathize  with  one's 
self  in  the  midst  of  ills  and  misfortunes  often 
deepens  the  sorrow  and  increases  the  burden,  while 
to  be  occupied  in  helping  others  results  in  self- 
forgetfulness  and  inspires  with  a  hopeful  and  joy- 
ous spirit.  Such  a  course  is  Christ-like,  for  even 
"Christ  pleased  not  Himself."  For  others  He  lived, 
and  toiled,  and  wept,  and  sacrificed,  and  died;  for 
others  He  intercedes.  A  life  of  sacrifice  for  the 
good  of  others  is  the  most  noble  life  of  which  we 
can  conceive. 

By  invitation  of  Pastor  I.  W.  Bell  I  had  the 
pleasure  of  dedicating  the  first  Free  Methodist 
church  of  Adrian,  Michigan,  in  Sefjtember,  1887. 
The  building,  though  humble,  represented  much 
sacrifice  on  the  part  of  those  who  were  laboring 
amid  strong  opposition  to  maintain  the  Bible  stand- 
ard of  religion  in  that  city.  It  was  not  surprising 
that  they  should  rejoice  in  the  fact  a  place  had  been 
secured  where  the  people  of  God  could  engage  in 


BURTON  R.  JONES 


149 


true  spiritual  worship  without  priestly  restrictions. 

In  the  fall  of  1887  the  annual  conference  was 
held  at  Spring  Arbor.  That  was  niy  first  experi- 
ence in  providing  entertainment  for  such  a  large 
gathering  —  over  two  hundred  being  present. 
Brother  Roberts  presided,  exercising  his  usual  fa- 
therly care  over  the  preachers.  The  Sabbath  service 
was  attended  with  a  scene  that  was  utterly  inde- 
scribable. Such  draughts  of  the  heavenly!  Brother 
Roberts  had  special  help  in  preaching.  My  soul 
was  filled  with  the  unutterable.  I  was  returned  as 
pastor  at  Spring  Arbor  for  the  third  year,  and 
elected  stationed  elder  for  the  district. 

November  5,  6,  1887,  was  the  occasion  of  the 
dedication  of  the  new  church  at  Sarahsville,  Ohio., 
That  was  my  first  visit  to  the  place  after  our  great 
struggle  there  in  1884,  resulting  in  the  organiza- 
tion of  the  Free  Methodist  society.  It  was  an  ex- 
ceedingly enjoyable  occasion  to  me.  God  had  hon- 
ored the  movement  with  an  encouraging  degree  of 
prosperity.  The  dedication  was  a  time  of  triumph 
to  the  faithful.  Sunday  was  the  crowning  day, 
and  those  who  had  been  bearing  the  burden  of  the 
work  were  amply  repaid  for  all  their  sacrifices 
by  the  gracious  outpouring  of  the  Holy  Spirit  and 
the  financial  success  of  the  enterprise.  Having  the 
consciousness  of  the  divine  approval  the  saints  had 
a  right  to  rejoice  and  be  exceeding  glad.  And  after 
the  lapse  of  a  quarter  of  a  century  God's  conse- 
crated people  are  holding  the  ground  and  the  ban- 
ner of  the  Cross  still  waves  over  old  Sarahsville. 


CHAPTER  XIX. 


On  September  7,  1887,  I  was  called  to  the  bed- 
side of  my  father,  who  lay  near  death  at  his  home 
in  Carlton,  Michigan.  On  the  8th  he  passed  tri- 
umphantly to  his  eternal  home,  aged  seventy-one 


was  thorough,  and  the  great  change  wrought 
in  him  was  apparent  to  all.  From  that  time 
his  house  became  a  home  for  the  saints,  and 
many  a  weary  itinerant  found  rest  under  his 
roof.  He  was  among  the  first  who  identified  them 
selves  with  the  Free  Methodist  movement  in  West 
ern  Kew  York,  and  he  remained  loyal  to  that  church 
until  transferred  to  the  church  triumphant. 


years,  eight  months.  The 
funeral  services  w^ere 
conducted  by  Rev.  C.  S. 
Gitchell,  who  preached 
an  appropriate  sermon 
from  Rev.  7 : 15,  'There- 
fore are  they  before  the 
throne  of  God." 


JAMES  JONES 


Father  was  converted 
at  Greigsville,  New  York, 
in  1855,  during  a  meet- 
ing held  by  Rev.  W.  C. 
Kendall,  and  united  with 
the  Methodist  Episcopal 
church.    His  conversion 


150 


BURTON  R.  JONES 


151 


Father  was  a  firm  believer  in  original  Methodism 
and  a  fearless  opponent  of  all  worldly  expediencies 
for  supporting  the  church.  His  outspoken  opposi- 
tion to  secret  societies  and  to  the  pride  and  for- 
mality of  the  churches  provoked  opposition  and  per- 
secution, but  his  integrity  and  upright  Christian 
character  could  not  be  questioned.  For  ten  years 
previous  to  his  death  he  had  been  a  great  sufferer 
and  during  those  years  of  weary  confinement  he 
enjoyed  much  of  the  divine  presence  and  often  be- 
came inexpressibly  joyous.  He  was  fully  prepared 
when  the  final  summons  came.  Oftentimes,  when 
but  a  boy,  during  seasons  of  conviction,  I  would 
say  to  myself,  "If  I  ever  get  religion  I  want  my 
father's  kind."  Thank  God  for  the  example  of  a 
devoted  Christian  father. 

On  returning  to  Spring  Arbor  I  buried  myself 
in  my  school  work  again,  assured  that  I  was  in 
divine  order.  I  closed  the  labors  of  the  year  in 
connection  with  one  of  the  smallest  quarterly  meet- 
ings I  ever  held.  On  Saturday  night  I  preached 
to  ten  adults  and  the  impression  I  made  was  so 
profound  that  on  Sunday  morning  my  congrega- 
tion swelled  to  fifteen.  But  I  did  my  best  and  was 
graciously  blest.  Amen. 

It  is  possible  that  in  some  instances  our  own 
inconsistencies  and  extravagances  turn  the  people 
from  our  public  services.  Although  it  must  be  ex- 
pected that  the  real  work  of  holiness  will  meet  with 
a  measure  of  opposition,  yet  every  sincere  Chris- 
tian will  guard  against  arousing  unnecessary  an- 
tagonism to  the  truth.  The  advocates  of  this  doc- 
trine and  experience  should  act  wisely.  They  should 


152 


LIFE  AND  LABORS  OF 


guard  against  the  least  deviation  from  the  Word  of 
God.  While  the  utmost  liberty  should  be  given 
to  the  Holy  Spirit's  operations,  impressions  and  im- 
pulses that  do  not  harmonize  with  the  divine  revela- 
tion should  not  be  encouraged.  They  only  tend  to 
breed  confusion,  becloud  God's  truth  and  bring  the 
doctrine  and  work  of   holiness  into  disrepute. 

Of  the  dedication  of  the  new  church  at  Holloway, 
Michigan,  February  12,  1888,  I  wrote  as  follows  for 
publication  in  The  Free  Methodist: 

''I  reached  the  place  on  Saturday  and  was  most 
hospitably  entertained  at  the  pleasant  home  of  Dr. 
and  Mrs.  C.  E.  Begel.  I  found  the  meeting  under 
full  headway,  with  a  good  representation  from  the 
different  circuits  of  the  district.  The  pilgrims  were 
full  of  faith  and  courage,  and  the  battle  was  being 
waged  with  vigor.  Sunday  was  a  glorious  day.  The 
Holy  Spirit  was  richly  outpoured  during  the  love 
feast,  accompanied  with  the  usual  variety  of  mani 
festations  incident  to  such  seasons.  The  divine 
presence  continued  with  us  through  the  preaching, 
after  which  the  indebtedness  on  the  church  was 
easily  provided  for." 

The  dedication  at  Davison,  Michigan,  February 
19,  1888,  was  reported  by  Mrs.  C.  A.  Gordon,  as 
follows : 

^'In  the  providence  of  God  I  was  permitted  to 
attend  this  means  of  grace.  The  pastor  had  been 
holding  meetings  for  several  weeks  previous  to  the 
dedication.  A  few  had  been  saved  and  the  church 
built  up  in  holiness.  Such  a  work  can  be  only  a 
blessing  to  the  community.  The  dedicatory  serv- 
ices were  conducted  by  Rev.  Burton  R.  Jones,  of 


lU'KTOX  K.  JONES 


153 


Spring  Arbor,  a  man  of  spiritual  understanding 
and  fully  competent  for  that  kind  of  work.  He 
gave  us  a  bountiful  supply  of  gospel  truths.  They 
were  very  palatable  to  those  who  love  deep,  search- 
ing truths,  which  call  loudly  for  self-examination 
on  the  line  of  thorough  consecration  of  one's  powers 
and  possessions  to  God.  Such  was  the  power  that 
attended  the  truth  that  many  were  brought  in  hum- 
ble submission  before  God.  No  appeal  was  made 
to  the  sympathies  of  the  people  in  view  of  raising 
money  for  the  church.  The  remaining  indebtedness 
was  raised  without  any  unlaw^ful  coaxing,  and  none 
who  gave  were  distressed  by  so  doing.  I  have  at- 
tended several  dedications,  but  of  them  all  this  one 
seemed  to  me  to  be  the  most  in  harmony  with  the 
Bible  idea  of  giving  willingly  as  God  has  prospered. 
Brother  Steer,  the  district  chairman,  was  also  pres- 
ent and  enjoyed  the  precious  occasion  which  will 
long  be  remembered  by  all  who  were  present." 

The  day  following  the  commencement  exercises 
in  June,  Professor  C.  P.  Tiffany  and  I  went  to  Mid- 
dlemiss,  Ontario,  to  assist  in  a  camp-meeting,  Rev. 
A.  Sims,  chairman,  in  charge.  As  the  ministerial 
force  was  small  Brother  T.  and  I  had  most  of  the 
preaching  to  do.  The  cold,  rainy  weather  was  ex- 
ceedingly unfavorable  for  such  a  meeting,  making 
the  outside  attendance  very  small.  The  work  ac- 
complished was  mostly  among  believers,  several  ex- 
periencing the  work  of  entire  sanctification.  The 
good  people  gave  a  practical  demonstration  of  their 
consecration  to  God  and  to  His  cause  by  promptly 
and  cheerfully  providing  for  the  expenses  of  the 
meeting.    There  is  no  discount  on  the  Canada  pil- 


154 


LIFE  AND  LABORS  OF 


grims  when  it  comes  to  their  appreciation  of  the 
truth  and  loyalty  to  the  principles  and  issues  of  the 
church. 

Ubly,  Michigan,  lies  within  the  bounds  of  the 
East  Michigan  conference.  B.  F.  Doolittle  was  pas- 
tor there  in  1888,  and  labored  faithfully  to  build 
up  the  work.  A  few  miles  from  Ubly  a  new  church 
had  been  started  during  the  pastorate  of  Hiram 
Bearse,  and  completed  by  Brother  D.  I  reached  the 
place  on  August  11th  and  found  the  meeting  under 
good  headway.  There  was  a  large  attendance  on 
Sunday,  and  both  services  were  attended  with  a 
gracious  outpouring  of  the  Holy  Spirit.  The  in- 
debtedness was  all  met,  and  the  house  solemnly 
dedicated  to  God,  much  to  the  disappointment  of 
some  who  had  been  prophesying  failure.  We  often 
meet  with  some  of  that  class  who  can  ^'devour 
widows'  houses  and  for  a  pretense  make  long 
prayers,"  but  are  ready  to  hoist  the  danger  signal 
whenever  a  movement  is  inaugurated  for  the  pro- 
motion of  a  good  work,  involving  sacrifice  and  per- 
secution. 

At  the  camp-meeting  at  Spring  Arbor,  August 
15-21,  we  had  a  strong  ministerial  force,  E.  P.  Hart 
and  T.  B.  Arnold  being  present  from  off  the  dis- 
trict. The  meeting  was  profitable  in  many  ways. 
A  number  were  clearly  saved  and  sanctified,  and 
several  leading  citizens  added  to  the  society.  Spe- 
cial importance  should  be  attached  to  our  meet- 
ings at  Spring  Arbor.  The  seminary  being  located 
there  gives  our  labors  a  far-reaching  influence.  It 
is  important  that  those  who  are  converted  at  our 


BURTON  R.  JONES 


155 


school-centers  gain  deep,  thorough  experiences  and 
go  out  before  the  world  strong  for  God. 

On  August  25,  1888,  I  reached  the  Milan,  Michi- 
gan, camp-ground.  Eighteen  years  before  I  had 
labored  as  pastor  on  that  circuit  and  organized  the 
first  Free  Methodist  society  in  Milan  village.  I 
was  privileged  to  meet  a  number  who  were  con- 
verted during  my  pastorate  there  and  who  were 
still  true  to  God  and  to  the  church.  It  is  a  great 
encouragement  to  the  servant  of  God  to  be  thus 
assured  that  his  labor  is  not  in  vain  in  the  Lord. 
While  many  received  help  at  that  meeting  the  in- 
terest was  greatly  injured  by  a  factious  element, 
headed  by  a  few  aspiring  men  in  the  church,  who 
a  few  years  later  withdrew  and  organized  a  move- 
ment of  their  own. 

The  week  following  I  helped  in  a  camp-meeting 
at  Logan,  Ohio,  Elder  J.  W.  Headley  in  charge. 
It  was  a  soul-refreshing  season  and  a  means  of 
strength  to  the  church  in  that  region.  I  remained 
over  one  night  after  the  meeting,  and  at  the  home 
of  Brother  and  Sister  Headley  I  had  the  pleasure 
of  uniting  their  daughter  Anna  and  Rev.  G.  M. 
Hunter  in  the  bonds  of  holy  matrimony.  Brother 
Hunter  has  since  crossed  the  line  of  worlds  while 
Anna's  probation  is  still  extended. 


CHAPTER  XX. 


At  the  annual  conference  of  1888,  held  at  Hart- 
ford, I  was  elected  traveling  chairman  and  placed 
on  the  Spring  Arbor  and  Detroit  districts.  I  re- 
greted  having  to  sever  my  relations  with  the  semin- 
ary, but  held  myself  in  readiness  to  respond  to  the 
divine  call  wherever  it  might  lead.  My  three  years' 
pastorate  at  Spring  Arbor  and  my  work  in  the 
seminary  had  been  exceedingly  pleasant  and  profit- 
able to  me,  and  my  interest  in  that  work  still  con- 
tinues. 

It  seemed  very  natural  for  me  to  enter  upon  the 
duties  of  the  traveling  chairmanship  again,  espe- 
cially so  as  I  was  assigned  to  the  field  in  which  I 
had  previously  labored  for  so  many  years.  After 
spending  a  few  days  at  home  I  went  over  my  dis- 
tricts strengthening  the  church.  The  duties  of  my 
ofiice  required  me  to  "continually  travel."  I  have 
steadily  maintained  that  the  quarterly  meetings 
should  be  made  ''seasons  of  refreshing''  to  the 
church,  and  unless  an  unusual  interest  be  awakened 
on  such  occasions  the  visit  of  the  elder  involves 
unwarranted  expense. 

A  few  quotations  from  my  diary  will  give  the 
reader  some  idea  of  how  I  employed  my  time  dur- 
ing the  year  1889. 

"January  1. — At  home  in  Spring  Arbor.  The 
lew  year  has  dawned  and  with  it  comes  added  re- 

156 


BURTON  R.  JONES 


157 


sponsibilities,  for  wliirh  the  Lord  will  give  added 
strength.  Brother  Ellison,  the  pastor,  is  engaged 
in  special  meetings  here.  Good  meeting  to-night. 
Several  seeking  the  Lord. 

"January  2. — Have  sunshine  in  my  soul.  The  Lord 
favors  me  with  His  j)resence  and  grace.  Mother 
arrived  this  afternoon  and  will  remain  for  a  few 
weeks  at  our  home.  Shall  feel  more  reconciled 
to  leaving  the  children  while  she  is  with  them. 

"January  3. — Preached  in  the  chapel  to-night 
from  Isa.  45 :  22.  Good  meeting.  Several  seekers 
received  special  help.  The  work  is  confined  mostly 
to  the  students. 

"January  4. — Started  for  Jasper  quarterly  meet- 
ing. Missed  connection  at  Lenawee  Junction  and 
had  to  lay  over  one  day.  Received  a  hearty  wel- 
come at  the  home  of  Brother  and  Sister  Nash. 
They  are  whole-souled  and  deeply  interested  in  the 
real  work  of  God.  They  are  aiming  to  use  their 
means  for  God's  glory. 

"January  5. — Came  on  the  morning  train  to  Jas- 
per. Put  up  at  Mr.  Drake's.  He  is  unsaved,  but 
in  sympathy  with  our  work.  Sister  D.  is  a  devoted 
Christian  and  a  pillar  in  the  church.  Preached 
from  Matt.  18 :  20  at  2 :00  p.  m.  Fair  interest.  The 
members  are  working  up  to  the  blessing  point. 
They  have  their  troubles  here  as  well  as  elsewhere. 
It  is  a  steady  warfare.  Preached  at  night  from 
^Draw  nigh  to  God,  and  He  will  draw  night  to 
you.'  The  word  seemed  just  adapted  to  existing 
conditions. 

January  6. — Love-feast  closed  well.  The  rejoic- 
ing Spirit  came  upon  us.    Had  real  freedom  in 


158 


LIFE  AND  LABORS  OF 


speaking  from  Matt  G:  10.  Interest  steadily  in- 
creasing. The  Infinite  One  was  present  at  the  night 
service.  Deep  solemnity  rested  on  the  congrega- 
tion. 

"January  7. — Had  the  help  of  the  Holy  Spirit  to- 
night in  speaking  from,  'Lord,  have  patience  with 
me.  and  I  will  pay  thee  all.'  I*rofitable  altar  serv- 
ice. One  soul  was  set  at  liberty  after  a  hard  strug- 
gle.   The  prospects  are  brightening. 

"January  10. — At  Hudson,  Michigan.  District 
quarterly  meeting  began  here  to-night.  Am  enter- 
tained at  Sister  Higgins'.  Brother  Frank  Russell, 
the  pastor,  is  in  good  spirits,  but  in  poor  health. 
Good  spirit  at  first  service.  Had  freedom  in  preach- 
ing. We  hope  to  see  the  work  of  God  revived  on 
this  occasion. 

''January  11. — Preaching  at  2:00  p.  m.  by  Brother 
G.  Short  time  given  to  testimony  and  the  pil- 
grims were  inspired  for  the  conflict.  Praise  the 
Lord.  Brother  Cochran  preached  well  at  night. 
Two  seekers  at  the  altar  were  much  helped. 

"January  12. — Quarterly  conference  at  9 :00  a. 
m.  Preaching  at  10:30  by  Brother  Schamehorn. 
Good  spirit,  ^'^eady  increase  of  interest  at  the 
afternoon  servic*e.  Pull  house  at  night.  Had  free- 
dom in  speaking  from,  'Submit  yourselves,  there- 
fore, to  God.'  The  Spirit  came  upon  us  and  some 
were  specially  helped  in  testimony.  We  are  en- 
couraged, but  hope  to  see  the  work  go  deeper  and 
farther. 

"Sunday,  January  13. — Excellent  love-feast.  The 
ringing  testimonies  of  the  saints  are  wonderfully 
inspiring  to  the  faithful   pastors.    Preached  from 


BURTON  R.  JONES 


159 


Tsa.  29:2.  The  truth  was  well  received  by  the 
large  audience  while  the  faithful  took  on  new 
strength  and  devotion.  Took  dinner  at  brother 
Webster's.  He  is  laboring  under  discouragement, 
and  is  greatly  in  need  of  the  baptism  of  the  Holy 
Spirit.  Fine  audience  at  night.  Was  somewhat 
pressed  in  spirit  while  preaching,  but  the  brethren 
were  helped  in  exhortation  and  the  service  ended 
well.  The  general  verdict  was  that  the  quarterly 
meeting  had  been  a  real  means  of  grace,  and  God's 
people  returned  to  their  homes  greatly  strengthened 
and  encouraged.  There  is  strong  opposition  to  the 
real  work  of  God  and  our  people  need  the  inspira- 
tion gained  at  these  special  gatherings. 

"January  24. — Have  a  few  days  at  home.  Spent 
some  time  cutting  wood.  I  am  not  an  expert  at  the 
business,  but  1  discover  that  'patience  and  perse- 
verance will  conquer' — even  a  woodpile. 

"February  2. — 'Quarterly  meeting  at  Jackson. 
Found  some  of  the  members  discouraged.  Preached 
at  2:00  p.  m.  from,  'Lord,  increase  our  faith.'  I 
felt  the  crisis  had  been  reached  by  some  of  them 
and  they  must  be  helped  soon  or  suffer  loss.  The 
Lord  helped  me  to  speak  words  if  encourage 
ment,  the  tide  turned  in  the  right  uirection  and  a 
signal  victory  w^as  gained.  A  Sister  L.  took  oc- 
casion to  publicly  criticise  my  sermon,  so  far  as 
it  applied  to  the  sanctified,  taking  the  position  that 
when  one  is  sanctified  wholly  faith  is  made  per- 
fect, hence  there  is  no  scriptural  warrant  for  pray- 
ing for  an  increase  of  faith.  In  a  brief  statement 
I  think  it  was  made  clear  that,  when  the  soul  is 
wholly  sanctified,  faith,  like  the  other  Christian 


160 


LIFE  AND  LABORS  OF 


graces,  though  perfected  in  the  sense  of  its  oppo- 
site being  removed,  may  steadily  increase  in 
strength  and  volume  indefinitely.  Sermon  at  night 
by  Brother  Aura  Showers,  a  promising  young 
preacher  from  Pennsylvania,  now  a  student  at 
Spring  Arbor  Seminary.    The  Lord  blest  the  word. 

''Sunday,  February  3. — Free  spirit  in  love-feast. 
The  Lord  graciously  helped  me  in  speaking  from 
'Thy  will  be  done  in  earth  as  it  is  in  heaven.' 
Those  who  were  in  the  will  of  God  fully  were  spe- 
cially helped  and  comforted.  The  Lord  was  gra- 
ciously near  during  the  service  at  the  Michigan 
Central  depot  at  3 :00  p.  ni.  A  blessed  spirit  pre- 
vailed and  the  saints  put  in  some  clear,  strong  tes- 
timonies. Large  audiences  assemble  at  the  depot 
Sunday  afternoons  and  much  good  seed  is  sown 
there.  Altogether  the  quarterly  meeting  has  been 
spiritual  and  profitable. 

"February  6. — And  it  came  to  pass  as  I  was  pass- 
ing through  Toledo,  en  route  for  Burgoon,  Ohio, 
I  met  a  beloved  brother  who  persuaded  me  to  stop 
over  and  attend  a  meeting  of  the  Christian  Alliance 
in  session  at  Memorial  Hall.  They  give  special  at- 
tention to  bodily  healing,  teaching  that  it  is  the 
privilege  of  every  Christian  to  be  healed ;  that  the 
atonement  covers  the  diseases  of  the  body  as  well 
as  of  the  soul.  I  regard  their  position  as  an  ex- 
treme one,  not  fully  warranted  by  the  Scriptures. 
If  their  teaching  be  correct  it  must  follow  that  to 
be  sick  is  sin,  and  to  die  of  disease  would  be  to  be 
lost.  But  there  are  many  excellent  people  among 
them. 

"February  7. — Am  at  Burgoon,  Ohio,  by  invita- 


BITRTON  It.  JONES 


161 


tion  of  Dr.  R.  S.  Shipley,  who  espoused  the  cause 
of  Free  Methodism  under  my  labors  in  1872.  Am 
engaged  to  hold  a  few  days'  meeting  here.  Opened 
the  siege  to-night  with  a  sermon  on  Exodus  32 :  26. 
There  was  quite  a  general  endorsement  of  the 
truth. 

''February  15. — My  labors  at  Burgoon  closed  last 
night.  Some  good  has  been  accomplished,  but  not 
as  much  as  we  expected.  The  true  light  now  shin- 
eth  and  we  hope  to  see  greater  developments  in 
the  future.  Have  been  kindly  entertained  at  the 
pleasant  home  of  Dr.  Shipley. 

'"February  16. — Quarterly  meeting  at  Ridgeway, 
Michigan,  began  at  2  :00  p.  m.  Brother  Shoemaker, 
the  pastor,  has  faith  for  the  work.  A  number  have 
been  converted  during  their  special  meetings.  The 
converts  are  prompt  in  testimony  and  give  evi- 
dence of  being  thoroughly  saved.  The  work  is  mov- 
ing at  different  points  on  the  district,  for  which  we 
thank  God.  Preached  twice  to-day  with  much  help. 

'"Sunday,  the  17th. — Much  freedom  during  love- 
feast.  The  young  converts  added  greatly  to  the  in- 
terest. The  spiritual  atmosphere  was  clear  and 
pure,  and  the  power  of  God  was  graciously  dis- 
played. It  was  a  good  atmosphere  to  preach  in. 
Crowded  house  at  night.  Had  divine  help  in  preach- 
ing on  repentance.  Excellent  order,  close  atten- 
tion, deep  conviction,  but  no  new  ones  sought  the 
Lord.  The  meetings  will  be  continued.  Entertained 
at  Brother  Palmer's,  an  excellent  Christian  home.'' 

"February  20. — Stopped  over  at  Holloway  en 
route  to  the  Adrian  district  quarterly  meeting.  At 
Dr.  Begel's  this  evening.    This  is  a  good  resting 


162 


LIFE  AND  LABORS  OF 


place.  I  always  find  an  open  door  here.  The  doc- 
tor has  quite  a  large  practise,  and  is  one  of  those 
exceptional  physicians  who  prays  with  his  patients, 
thus  rendering  spiritual  as  well  as  physical  relief. 
Brother  and  Sister  I>raiuard  called  on  me.  They 
are  good,  devoted  people." 

"February  25. — Adrian,  Michigan.  The  district 
quarterly  meeting  which  closed  last  night  was  the 
best  we  have  had  this  year.  Several  were  cleared 
up  in  their  experiences.  The  Sunday  love-feast 
was  a  time  of  victory.  The  Holy  Spirit  came  in 
wonderful  power,  and  the  saints  triumphed  most 
gloriously.  Thank  God  for  such  displays  of  His 
power.  Had  Sfjecial  help  in  preaching  from  ^Herein 
is  my  Father  glorified,  that  ye  bear  much  fruit.' 
Showers  of  blessing  came  upon  us.  The  old  way 
of  the  cross  is  the  way  of  blessing  after  all.  The 
meeting  left  an  exc-ellent  impression  on  all  who 
were  present. 

"March  12. — I  was  called  to  Waltz  to  attend  the 
funeral  of  Sister  Joseph  Lawrence,  wife  of  the  pas- 
tor here,  who  died  quite  suddenly.  Brother  L. 
feels  very  deeply  the  loss  he  has"  sustained  in  the 
death  of  his  devoted  wife.  The  funeral  was  held 
in  the  church  at  8  :00  p.  m.,  and  the  remains  were 
taken  on  the  9  :00  o'clock  train  to  Cleveland,  Ohio. 
Am  entertained  at  the  home  of  Brother  John  Ro- 
mine." 

During  the  year  1889  the  question  of  organized 
band  work  began  to  cause  a  division  of  sentiment 
in  the  church.  From  my  diary  of  April  19th  I  quote 
as  follows :  "A  movement  has  sprung  up  within 
the  church  under  the  name  of  Tentecost  Bands,' 


BURTON  R.  JONES 


163 


which  is  assiiiiiiiiji  proportions  tliat  tliroateii  ilie 
j^eace  of  tlie  church.  The  leaders  of  the  inoveinent 
assume  that  the  oflicers  and  ministry  of  the  church 
are  largely  hackslidden,  and  that  Ood  has  raised 
them  up  to  effect  a  reformation.  It  is  dithcult  to 
prophesy  on  the  final  outcome." 

With  a  ])ersistent,  unteachable  spirit,  born  of 
an  ambition  for  leadershi]),  those  at  the  head  of  the 
movement  continued  their  operations  within  the 
church,  adopting  measures  at  variance  with  its  es- 
tablished rules  and  regulations,  and  indulging  in 
harsh  and  un-Christian  utterances  against  the 
church  and  many  of  its  leading  members.  A  few 
years  later,  despairing  of  ever  being  able  to  pose 
as  martyrs  by  reason  of  being  expelled  from  the 
church,  they  withdrew  and  organized  themselves 
into  a  distinct  sect,  much  to  the  relief  of  the  church. 

On  May  u,  1889,  I  started  out  to  meet  some  en- 
gagements in  Ohio.  Made  my  first  stop  at  Holland, 
where  I  found  Brother  G.  M.  Hunter  and  his  wife 
Anna  applying  themselves  faithfully  to  the  work. 
They  were  encouraged  by  seeing  some  souls  saved 
during  the  year.  I  stopped  over  one  night  in  To- 
ledo and  attended  the  weekly  prayer-meeting.  A 
comfortable  place  of  worship  had  been  provided 
and  (lod  was  blessing  the  self-sacrificing  efforts  to 
promote  His  cause  in  that  great  city. 

I  was  privileged  to  attend  a  quarterly  meeting 
with  the  society  at  New  Albany  the  11th  and  12th. 
The  Lord  greatly  helped  and  encouraged  the  pil- 
grims at  that  meeting.  On  the  evening  of  the 
16th  we  had  a  very  profitable  gathering  at  the  home 
of  Brother  and  Sister  C.  E.  Carroll,  at  which  time 


164 


LIFE  AND  LABORS  OF 


their  new  house  was  dedicated  to  God.  The  Lord 
accepted  the  offering-  and  we  felt  it  to  be  a  place 
where  the  saints  are  welcomed. 

On  Saturday,  the  ISth,  we  met  for  the  dedication 
of  the  Zion  church  near  Athens.  There  being  no 
money  to  raise  we  applied  ourselves  wholly  to  the 
spiritual  interests  of  the  work  and  the  Holy  Spirit 
made  His  presence  felt  in  a  remarkable  manner. 
The  few  who  had  been  bearing  the  burden  of  the 
work  were  encouraged. 

On  Sunday,  the  19th,  the  good  people  gathered  at 
Stroud's  Run  to  dedicate  the  new  church  at  that 
point.  The  house  was  filled  at  an  early  hour  and 
God  honored  the  simplicity  and  faith  of  His  people 
by  blessing  them  in  true  primitive  style.  A  blessed 
atmosphere  was  created  for  the  preaching  service, 
after  which  the  remaining  indebtedness  was  easily 
provided  for  and  the  house  set  apart  to  be  held  sa- 
cred to  the  worship  of  the  living  God.  That  was 
my  first  and  only  experience  in  dedicating  a  private 
residence  and  two  churches  within  four  days. 

I  spent  the  summer  in  district  work,  filling  a 
few  special  engagements  outside  the  conference. 
July  27-31  I  was  privileged  to  unite  with  the  pil- 
grims in  a  camp-meeting  at  Brunersburg,  Ohio.  On 
the  31st  I  made  the  following  entry  in  my  diary : 
^^A  blessed  spirit  prevailed  in  the  meetings  to-day. 
One  man  seeking  the  Lord  at  the  early  morning 
service.  The  love-feast  ran  until  twelve  o'clock. 
Spoke  for  a  few  minutes  from  Isa.  55 :  1.  The  Lord 
gave  us  victory.  Deep  interest  at  the  afternoon 
service.  Preached  on  entire  sanctification  from  1 
Thess.    5 :  23.    It  was  the  truth  just  adapted  to  the 


BURTON  K.  JONES 


16o 


needs  of  a  iiinnber  present.  One  man  was  ^lorionslj 
saved.  The  work  is  moving  forward.  l*raise  the 
Lord.  Spoke  at  nij»ht  from  John  8:  32.  J^rother 
Foulk  exhorted  with  power.  Some  seeking  but  did 
not  get  through.  The  Holy  Spirit  is  moving  on 
the  hearts  of  the  people.  What  a  blessed  work 
this  is.  No  such  satisfaction  can  be  found  in  any 
other  calling.    My  soul  is  greatly  blest.  Amen." 

The  Sabbath  services  at  the  Ridgeway,  Michi- 
gan, camp-meeting,  August  11,  1889,  were  attended 
by  a  large  crowd  of  interested  people.  The  love- 
feast  ran  in  such  power  that  altar  services  took  the 
place  of  preaching.  One  old  man  was  graciously 
saved.  We  had  a  strong  working  force  at  that 
meeting.  The  ring  meetings  during  the  intervals 
of  the  regular  services  afforded  good  opportunity 
for  seed-sowing.  The  altar  services  were  attended 
with  remarkable  displays  of  divine  power,  and 
many  were  liberated  from  the  dominion  and  pollu- 
tion of  sin. 

Brother  R.  W.  Hawkins,  then  of  the  Pittsburg 
conference,  was  with  us  during  the  last  three 
da^'s  of  our  Spring  Arbor  camp-meeting  in 
August,  and  preached  three  very  interesting  and 
profitable  sermons.  On  the  last  day  of  the 
meeting  I  wrote :  "Closing  exercises  to-night. 
Two  or  three  professed  conversion  after  the 
sermon.  We  then  marched  around  the  ground  and 
closed  amid  shouts  of  victory.  Thank  God  for  this 
meeting.  Some  have  been  saved,  others  sanctified 
and  the  saints  greatly  encouraged." 

Our  annual  conference  was  held  at  KalamazoO; 
Michigan,  September  4-8,  Superintendent  Coleman 


IGO 


LIFE  AND  LABOKS  OF 


presiding.  The  independent  element  referred  to  in 
a  former  paragraph  asserted  itself  at  this  session, 
and  sought  to  execute  plans  for  aggressive  opera- 
tions within  the  bounds  of  the  conference.  The 
effort  was  defeated,  however,  by  the  refusal  of  the 
conference  to  give  evangelist's  relation  to  the  leader 
of  the  movement,  insisting  that  he  should  be  given 
a  regular  appointment  the  same  as  the  other 
preachers,  brother  P.  E.  Vincent  and  I  were 
ejected  district  chairmen,  Brother  V.'s  election  be- 
ing regarded  as  a  victory  for  the  loyal  element  of 
the  conference,  who  were  working  in  the  interests 
of  peace  and  harmony  in  the  church.  Later  de- 
velopments proved  conclusively  that  the  position 
taken  by  the  conference  was  in  divine  order. 

On  November  24,  1880,  I  was  called  to  Milan, 
Michigan,  to  attend  the  funeral  of  Brother  Charles 
E.  Farrington,  whose  death  had  cast  a  gloom  over 
the  old  Raisinville  circuit.  Brother  F.  was  con- 
verted among  the  Free  Methodists  in  1866,  at  once 
united  with  the  church,  and  was  true  to  its  prin- 
ciples and  faithful  to  God  until  the  messenger  called 
him  home.  Whenever  a  crisis  arose  in  the  opera- 
tions of  the  church.  Brother  F.  could  be  depended 
on  to  stand  by  its  interests.  He  was  a  firm  pillar 
in  the  church  of  God.  IT  is  home  was  a  resting- 
place  for  the  weary  itinerant.  His  end  was  peace. 
The  funeral  was  held  in  the  London  church,  and 
the  immense  crowd  of  people  that  was  present  gave 
unmistakable  expression  of  the  high  esteem  in 
which  he  was  held  by  all  classes.  ''Mark  the  per- 
fect man,  and  behold  the  upright :  for  the  end  of 
that  man  is  peace." 


CHAPTER  XXI. 


While  at  Blissfield,  Michigan,  January  13,  1890, 
I  received  a  telegram  calling  me  to  Spring  Arbor 
to  attend  the  funeral  of  Professor  Charles  P.  Tif- 
fany, who  had  suddenly  passed  away.  At  the  time 
of  his  death  he  had  been  associate  principal  of 
Spring  Arbor  Seminary  for  five  years.  He  ren- 
dered valuable  services  to  the  school  and  his  death 
was  deeply  mourned.  He  was  a  devout  man  of  God 
and  an  able  defender  of  the  principles  and  issues  of 
the  church.  His  preaching  was  clear,  forceful 
and  convincing.  His  end  was  triumphant.  Dur- 
ing his  sickness  he  often  expressed  implicit 
confidence  in  the  God  whom  he  had  served  and 
trusted.  At  one  time  when  filled  with  divine 
glory,  he  said,  ''If  the  Lord  can  make  such  a  bed 
as  this  so  glorious,  I  can  trust  Him  for  everything." 
Why  a  young  man  whose  labors  were  apparently 
so  much  needed  in  the  church  should  be  suddenly 
stricken  down  in  the  midst  of  his  usefulness,  is 
one  of  the  unsolved  mysteries  of  providence.  This 
we  know,  God  doeth  all  things  well. 

September  10-11  was  the  date  of  the  annual  con- 
ference, held  at  Holloway,  Michigan.  Superintend- 
ent Roberts  experienced  a  severe  test  of  faith 
through  the  burning  of  Chesbrough  Seminary,  which 
occurred  during  that  session.  But  his  confidence 
in  (lod  remained  firm  and  his  faith  caught  a  vision 

167 


168 


LIFE  AND  LABORS  OF 


of  still  brighter  days  for  that  important  work  in 
which  he  was  so  deeply  interested. 

The  following  named  persons  were  elected  dele- 
gates to  the  general  conference:  Ministerial — John 
Ellison,  B.  R.  Jones.  Lay — D.  W.  Abrams,  J.  B. 
Reed. 

Soon  after  conference  I  entered  upon  my  district 
work,  planning  the  best  I  knew  for  the  strength- 
ening of  the  church  and  the  salvation  of  souls. 

The  general  conference  of  1890  was  held  in  Chi- 
cago, convening  in  the  new  Free  Methodist  church, 
16  X.  May  St.,  October  8tli.  From  the  roll  of  that 
general  conference  the  names  of  T.  S.  LaDue  and 
E.  Owen,  names  closely  interwoven  with  the  his- 
tory of  the  Free  Methodist  church,  were  missing. 
Questions  of  vital  importance  to  the  church  were 
considered  and  settled  at  that  session.  The  ques- 
tion of  ordaining  women  was  discussed  in  all  its 
phases.  By  a  small  majority  vote  a  motion  favor- 
ing such  ordination  was  defeated  and  the  final  dis- 
position of  the  question  referred  to  the  annual  con- 
ferences. 

The  question  of  organizing  and  operating  bands 
awakened  much  interest.  There  was  a  general  feel- 
ing that  something  should  be  done  to  provide  work 
for  the  young  people  of  the  church  who  felt  called 
to  render  special  service  to  the  Master,  and  at  the 
same  time  guard  both  them  and  the  church  against 
the  evils  that  would  naturally  result  from  irre- 
sponsible parties  engaging  in  that  line  of  work  in 
the  name  of  the  church.  After  a  thorough  dis- 
cussion of  all  phases  of  the  question  provision  was 
made  authorizing  chairmen  of  districts  and  evan- 


BURTON  R.  JONES 


1G9 


gelists  to  organize  bands  for  aggressive  revival 
work. 

At  the  afternoon  sitting,  October  21,  1800,  tlie 
conference  proceeded  to  elect  an  editor  of  The  Free 
Methodist.  B.  T.  Roberts,  who  had  edited  the  pa- 
per so  ably  for  four  years,  declined  to  be  a  candi- 
date for  re-election.  An  item  in  the  (ieneral  Con- 
ference Daily  of  the  above  date,  read  as  follows: 
''On  the  sixth  ballot  B.  R.  Jones  was  elected  editor 
of  The  Free  Methodist.'^ 

No  one  could  have  been  more  surprised  at  my 
election  than  I  was.  While  fully  appreciating  the 
unexpected  expression  of  confidence  and  esteem,  I 
felt  most  keenly  the  responsibility  of  the  position  to 
which  I  had  been  called.  A  quotation  from  my  diary 
conveys  a  clear  idea  of  my  feelings  at  that  time : 

"To  my  great  surprise  I  was  elected  editor  of 
The  Free  Methodi&t  at  the  afternoon  sitting  of 
general  conference.  I  am  undecided  as  to  what 
course  to  take  in  the  matter.  The  responsibility 
is  great,  but  if  this  is  the  will  of  God  for  me  I  can 
safely  accept  it.  My  brethren  speak  words  of  en- 
couragement to  me,  but  I  shall  need  special  divine 
help.  While  feeling  my  own  insufficiency  I  am 
confident  that  'I  can  do  all  things  through  Christ 
which  strengtheneth  me.'  I  take  to  my  heart  the 
promise  of  the  Master,  'Lo,  I  am  with  you  alway.' " 

The  following  kind  words  were  penned  by  Rev. 
J.  0.  Terrill,  editor  of  the  General  Conference 
Daily :  ''Rev.  Burton  Rensselaer  Jones  ♦  *  * 
understands  what  Free  Methodism  is.  He  has  not 
figured  before  the  church  very  much  as  a  writer, 
but  for  years  he  has  been  known  as  one  of  our 


170 


LIFE  AND  LABORS  OF 


clearest,  deepest,  strongest  preachers.  He  is  ex- 
tremely modest  and  unassuming  in  his  manner,  of 
pure  taste,  and  elevated  tone  of  sentiment  and  feel- 
ing. He  is  a  sound  Methodist  in  doctrine,  expe- 
rience and  life,  and  the  church  may  trust  him  im- 
plicitly. He  is  deliberate  in  forming  his  opinions, 
careful  and  moderate  in  statement,  and  firm  in  up- 
holding what  he  thinks  is  right.  He  uses  terse, 
simple  English  in  speaking  and  writing,  and  the 
editor  of  the  Daily  speaks  for  him  a  successful  ca- 
reer as  an  editor.  Let  all  give  him  their  prayers, 
and  wait  patiently  until  he  gets  used  to  the  edi- 
torial harness  before  forming  opinions  as  to  the 
quality  of  his  work." 

Having  accepted  the  call  of  the  church  to  the  new 
field  of  labor,  it  became  necessary  to  resign  my 
district  work.  That  was  one  of  my  great  trials. 
Seventeen  years  of  my  ministerial  life  had  been 
spent  in  the  Michigan  conference,  and  my  attach- 
ment to  the  ministers  and  members  of  that  confer- 
ence had  steadily  increased  with  the  passing  years. 
That  served  to  make  the  separation  the  more 
painful. 

I  hastened  from  the  general  conference  to  meet 
the  pilgrims  at  the  district  quarterly  meeting  at 
Raisinville.  There  was  a  large  attendance  and  the 
presence  of  the  blessed  Comforter  made  the  occa- 
sion a  memorable  one.  The  Sunday  service  was  one 
of  unusual  power  and  blessedness.  The  appoint- 
ment of  Brother  John  Ellison  to  the  chairmanship 
of  the  district  was  unanimously  approved  by  the 
quarterly  conference  and  he  entered  upon  the  work 
with  his  old-time  inspiration. 


BUKTOX  K.  JONES 


171 


On  November  13,  1890,  the  first  issue  of  The 
Free  Methodist  bearing  my  uame  at  the  head  of  the 
editorial  staff  appeared.  The  following  is  an  ex- 
tract from  my  ''{Salutatory"  to  the  patrons  of  the 
church  paper: 

''The  action  of  the  late  general  conference  in 
electing  me  editor  of  the  church  paper  was  alto- 
gether unexpected  to  me.  While  it  may  well  be  re- 
garded as  a  post  of  honor,  yet,  when  we  consider 
what  is  required  of  an  editor,  one  can  but  feel 
that  the  honors  are  well-nigh  eclipsed  by  its  duties. 

"Being  inexperienced  in  editorial  work  we  might 
well  hesitate,  but  recognizing  the  voice  of  the  church 
as  the  voice  of  God,  we  address  ourselves  to  this 
w^ork  as  an  obedient  servant.  As  such  we  have 
ever  sought  to  serve  the  church  in  whatever  posi- 
tion we  have  been  placed. 

"We  shall  study  the  highest  interest  of  the  work 
of  God  as  represented  by  our  church  and  labor  to 
so  conduct  The  Free  Methodist  that  it  will  con- 
tribute to  the  support  of  those  issues  and  principles 
which  the  church  holds  to  be  vital  to  Christianity, 
and  discountenance  those  customs  and  practises 
which  we  regard  as  destructive  to  vital  godliness. 
We  shall  aim  to  promote  the  peace  and  harmony  of 
the  church  on  the  Bible  platform.  Our  forces  must 
not  be  divided.  Our  hopes,  our  aims,  our  interests 
are  one.  To  encourage  factious  elements  must 
sooner  or  later  result  disastrously.  As  the  organ 
of  the  church,  The  Free  Methodist  will  endeavor 
to  voice  the  sentiments  and  principles  of  our  people 
in  a  fearless  and  dignified  manner,  and  with  a  spirit 
becoming  a  periodical  ordained  of  God  to  spread 


172 


LIFE  AND  LABORS  OF 


the  work  of  'true  holiness.'  We  shall  heed  the 
apostolic  injunction,  'Keep  thyself  pure.' 

"■jT/ie  Free  Methodist  will  be  found  at  the  fore- 
front in  support  of  every  truly  moral  reform.  Ev- 
ery thoughtful  person  must  feel  the  importance  of  a 
candid  and  thorough  treatment  of  all  moral  and 
religious  questions.  We  are  exceedingly  desirous 
that  The  Free  Methodist  shall  continue  to  be  a  pure 
and  spiritual  and  fearless  advocate  of  the  Bible 
standard  of  experimental  and  practical  piety,  and 
that  its  weekly  visits  shall  be  a  valuable  aid  to  all 
its  readers  in  working  out  their  own  salvation,  and 
in  their  efforts  to  spread  scriptural  holiness 
throughout  these  lands. 

"We  lay  no  claim  to  infallibility.  Any  kindly 
criticisms  that  our  patrons  may  offer,  will  be  care- 
fully considered ;  any  friendly  advice  they  may  give, 
will  be  gladly  received.  While  we  may  have  occa- 
sion to  grieve  over  our  inability  to  bring  this  paper 
fully  up  to  our  ideal  of  a  religious  journal,  we 
shall  find  satisfaction  in  a  conscious  purpose  to  pro 
mote  the  welfare  of  the  church,  and  defend  the 
eternal  principles  of  right  and  truth." 

December  11th  found  us  cozily  settled  in  our  own 
hired  house  on  Oakley  avenue,  Chicago,  with  my 
daughters  Nellie  and  Mabel  as  housekeepers.  It 
was  a  great  pleasure  for  us  to  be  settled  once  more 
in  a  place  we  could  call  home.  The  sudden  change 
from  traveling  a  large  district  to  the  confinement 
incident  to  the  work  of  an  editor  occasioned  some 
misgivings,  but  I  was  enabled  soon  to  adjust  my- 
self to  existing  conditions  and  go  on  with  my  work. 


CHAPTER  XXII. 


I  had  not  occupied  the  editorial  chair  very  long 
before  I  received  a  communication  from  a  good 
brother  expressing  the  hope  that  I  would  take  up 
the  ^'topics  of  the  day"  and  discuss  them  editorially, 
and  give  less  attention  to  the  "dogmas  and  truisms 
so  commonly  taught  among  our  people."  I  was 
cautioned  against  being  "too  narrow."  This  sug- 
gestion drew  out  the  following  editorial : 

^'  ^Of  the  times  and  the  seasons,  brethren,  ye  have 
no  need  that  I  write  unto  you.'  The  supply  of 
that  type  of  journalism  which  is  restricted  to  the 
discussion  of  the  'topics  of  the  day'  is,  in  our  judg- 
ment, fully  up  to  the  needs  of  the  age.  There  is 
need  of  more  periodicals,  as  well  as  preachers,  that 
hold  to  the  line  of  pure  gospel  truth. 

''Among  our  many  worthy  exchanges  there  is  not 
one  too  many  that  devotes  its  columns  to  the  spread 
of  pure  Bible  doctrine ;  not  one  too  many  has  cour- 
age to  denounce  popular  sins,  expose  the  pride  and 
formality  of  the  churches  and  raise  the  signal  at 
every  place  of  danger.  Too  many  religious  jour- 
nals, like  a  'time-serving  ministry,'  are  given  to 
scientific  speculations,  vain  philosophizing  and 
weakening  sentimentality,  instead  of  exposing  the 
lust,  pride,  covetousness  and  rebellion  of  the  hu- 
man heart,  and  holding  to  the  Word  of  God  which 
is  the  true  standard  of  Christian  life  and  charac- 


173 


174 


LIFE  AND  LABORS  OF 


ter.  There  is  a  growing  tendenor  to  lower  the 
standard  of  Christian  duty. 

"The  self-indulgent  worldly  spirit  of  the  age 
must  be  checked  and  popular  journals  cannot  be 
relied  upon  to  do  this  kind  of  work.  They  are 
more  given  to  dealing  out  ^intellectual  poisons  that 
intoxicate  the  mind  and  corrupt  the  heart.'  While 
they  may  wake  up  the  imaginations,  arouse  the 
sympathies  and  play  upon  the  passions  of  some, 
they  are,  at  the  same  time,  drawing  their  victims 
into  the  whirlpool  of  formality,  worldliness  and 
death. 

"The  world-spirit  is  fast  paralyzing  the  pulpit 
and  the  press.  There  is  need  of  religious  periodi- 
cals that  cannot  be  intimidated  by  opposition  or 
persecution — periodicals  that  will  not  sacrifice  their 
loyalty  to  Christ  for  any  consideration." 

The  year  1891  was  a  busy  one  with  me.  While  at- 
tending strictly  to  my  editorial  duties  I  endeavored 
not  to  bury  my  preaching  talent.  The  opening  of  the 
year  found  me  engaged  in  a  watch-night  service 
at  Melrose  Park,  Chicago,  Rev.  J.  W.  Sharpe,  pas- 
tor. The  freedom  of  the  Spirit  was  felt  throughout 
the  meeting  and  one  soul  was  graciously  saved. 

An  occasional  visit  to  Wells  street  mission,  Chi- 
cago, then  in  charge  of  Sister  Bradley,  was  very 
refreshing  to  me.  In  one  service  a  man  seventy 
years  old,  who  had  never  been  converted,  was  glo- 
riously saved,  and  continued  to  attend  the  mission, 
testifying  to  what  God  had  done  for  him.  Some 
remarkable  deliverances  from  the  tobacco  and  liq 
uor  habits  were  witnessed  in  those  meetings.  The 
"river  of  life"  certainly  flowed  through  that  mis- 


BUIITOX  K.  JONES 


175 


sion.  Later  the  mission  was  removed  to  Des  Plaines 
street,  where  it  is  now  known  as  ''Olive  Branch 
Mission,"  in  charge  of  Sister  M.  J.  Everhart,  and  is 
doing  a  great  work  in  rescuing  perishing  souls. 

What  grand  possibilities  of  grace  are  within  the 
reach  of  every  accountable  being.  Though  fallen 
low,  they  may  be  lifted  high.  There  are  immeasur- 
able heights  and  depths  of  spiritual  light  and  life 
to  be  experienced,  boundless  fields  of  wisdom  and 
knowledge  to  be  explored,  and  a  straight  path  be- 
fore us  that  "shineth  more  and  more  unto  the  per- 
fect day."  Not  content  with  simply  a  "form  of 
godliness,"  every  Christian  should  press  forward 
to  those  heights  of  spiritual  life  and  enjoyment 
which  will  enable  him  to  "rejoice  with  joy  unspeak- 
able and  full  of  glory.'' 

On  January  4,  1891,  I  attended  the  reopening 
of  the  church  at  Sycamore,  Illinois.  The  follow- 
ing report  of  the  services  appeared  in  The  Free 
Methodist: 

"Our  church  at  Sycamore  was  reopened  for  di- 
vine worship  on  January  4th.  Our  beloved  editor, 
Rev.  B.  R.  Jones,  was  with  us  and  preached  both 
morning  and  night.  We  all  felt  grateful  for  the 
privilege  of  listening  to  the  precious  truths  which 
he  taught  and  trust  they  will  be  beneficial  to  all 
who  listened.  The  indebtedness  was  quickly  pro- 
vided for  and  the  church  dedicated  to  God.  Our 
faith  for  the  prosperity  of  our  Zion  was  greatly 
quickened  and  we  went  to  our  homes  rejoicing.' 
The  Lord  greatly  helped  us  and  we  give  Him  all  the 
glory.  John  Harvey^  PastorJ' 


176 


LIFE  AND  LABORS  OF 


A  few  months  after  I  entered  npon  my  work  as 
editor,  and  while  somewhat  pressed  with  its  cares 
and  perplexities,  the  following  encouraging  words 
from  our  now  sainted  Brother  J.  G.  Terrill,  were 
received : 

'  'Sir  Dear  Brother  Jones  : 

'•  *  *  *  I  think  yon  are  doing  well  in  your  new 
IKJsition.  I  know  ^^omething  of  what  you  have  to  undergo 
from  the  sense  of  resign sibility  and.  to  some  extent,  unap- 
preciated efforts  to  advance  the  common  cause.  I  think 
a  glorious  success  awaits  your  faithful  efforts,  besides  the 
consciousness  of  having  done  your  duty  in  the  fear  of  God. 
The  rank  and  file  of  both  the  ministry  and  laity  will 
crown  you  with  their  approval  in  a  manner  that  will  be 
sweet  to  remember  in  heaven. 

"Your  sincere  brother, 

"J.  G.  Terrill." 

About  the  same  time  the  following  brotherly  let- 
ter was  received  from  Binghamton,  New  York : 

"Dear  Brother  Jones  : — Allow  me  to  congratulate  you 
on  your  success  in  your  new  field  of  Christian  toil  as  edi- 
tor. *  *  *  Heaven  continue  to  bless  and  encourage  you  in 
your  work  for  the  Master.  In  these  days  of  shifting  and 
drifting  and  mixing  I  feel  and  appreciate  the  solidity  of 
the  Rock  of  Ages  more  and  more.  Oh,  how  solid,  how  un- 
changeable, how  satisfying,  is  Christianity  I  Christ  is  more 
to  me  than  all  creeds,  all  churches,  all  men,  all  friends, 
all  this  world.  He  is  my  nearest  kin,  my  Redeemer,  Elder 
Brother,  abiding  guest  and  everlasting  rest. 

"Yours  in  God  forever, 

•'Moses  X.  Downing." 

Such  kind  words  of  commendation  could  but  in- 
spire me  with  renewed  courage  and  a  firmer  pur- 
pose to  do  my  best  to  increase  the  value  and  use- 
fulness of  The  Free  Methodist. 


BURTON  R.  JONES 


177 


On  May  16,  1891,  we  were  called  upon  to  chroni- 
cle the  death  of  Rev.  Joseph  Travis,  one  of  the  pio- 
neer ministers  of  the  church.  He  was  a  man  of 
rare  gifts,  eminent  piety  and  true  devotion  to  God. 
He  was  a  i)rofound  thinker,  a  clear  reasoner  and 
an  impressive  speaker.  The  theme  and  glory  of 
his  ministrations  was  Jesus  Christ  and  Him  cru- 
cified. For  four  years  he  performed  faithfully 
the  duties  of  editor  of  The  Free  Methodist.  His 
removal  from  earth  unfolds  to  him  a  vast  enlarge- 
ment of  spiritual  vision  and  admits  him  to  the  un- 
interrupted enjoyment  of  Uod  and  the  vision  of 
His  glory  through  interminable  years. 

The  following  account  of  the  reopening  at  South 
Oil  City,  Pennsylvania,  June  13,  14,  1891,  appeared 
in  The  Free  Methodist-.  "Owv  reopening  was  a 
blessed  success.  Brother  B.  R.  Jones  was  with  us. 
He  preached  four  times  in  the  power  of  the  Spirit. 
Brother  Sellew,  our  newly  appointed  chairman, 
preached  once  to  the  glory  of  God.  Brother  Jones 
preached  the  dedicatory  sermon  on  Sabbath  at 
11 :00  a.  m.  The  discourse  was  sublime  and  the 
congregation  was  enraptured.  God  was  there. 
Two  hundred  thirty-two  dollars  was  quickly  raised 
to  meet  the  remaining  indebtedness.  Praise  God ! 
The  love-feast  was  glorious.  The  house  now  belongs 
to  God,  and  His  presence  rests  upon  us  all. 

"A.  C.  Showers,  P. 

The  occasion  was  a  memorable  one.  None  whose 
hearts  were  open  to  God  could  remain  unproflted 
and  unblest.  Brother  Showers  was  a  promising 
young  man  and  an  able  preacher.    A  few  years 


178 


LIFE  AND  LABORS  OF 


later  the  Lord  called  him  home.  His  works  follow 
him. 

On  August  G,  1801,  1  assisted  Elder  C.  A.  Flem- 
in  the  dedication  of  a  church  at  Hettick,  Illi- 
nois. I  was  unusually  impressed  on  that  occasion 
with  the  similarity  of  the  Spirit's  operations  on  dif- 
ferent classes  of  people.  Just  after  the  benedic- 
tion at  the  close  of  the  Sabbath  afternoon  service 
a  cloud  of  glory  burst  over  the  audience  and  Free 
Methodists,  Southern  Methodists,  Episcopal  Meth- 
odists and  Baptists  joined  in  one  grand  chorus  of 
praises  and  hallelujahs  to  God  for  the  marvelous 
victory  achieved.  It  was  a  glorious  scene.  Several 
were  graciously  saved  at  the  night  service.  The 
precious  seasons  of  grace  experienced  on  that  oc- 
casion awakened  new  interest  in  the  work  of  God 
at  Hettick.  That  was  the  first  Free  Methodist 
church  built  in  Macoupin  county.  The  society  at 
that  point  was  organized  amid  fierce  opposition. 
Their  tabernacle  was  cut  down,  attempts  made  to 
burn  them  out,  and  the  rotten-egg  argument  used 
for  all  it  was  worth.  Still  the  little  company  stood 
up  bravely  with  their  faces  to  the  foe.  A  number 
were  saved  and  a  society  organized  in  the  school- 
house  just  out  of  town.  Soon  the  schoolhouse  was 
closed  against  them  and  the  meetings  were  con- 
tinued in  private  houses.  A  church  became  a  ne- 
cessity, and  it  is  not  surprising  that  those  who  had 
been  under  the  burden  should  give  expression  of 
thanksgiving  to  God  for  providing  them  such  a  com- 
fortable house  in  which  to  worship  Him  without 
fear  of  being  further  molested.  Strict  integrity 
to  God  and  the  truth  is  sure  to  win. 


BURTON  R.  JONES 


179 


August  27-30  I  spent  at  my  home  conference,  in 
session  at  Sliervvood,  Michigan.  It  was  there  I 
held  my  first  revival  after  entering  the  ministry. 
A  number  were  gloriously  saved  in  that  meeting, 
some  of  whom  I  expect  to  meet  in  heaven. 

That  session  marked  a  crisis  in  the  Michigan  con- 
ference. Discordant  elements  under  the  guise  of 
"independency"  had  made  inroads  on  the  confer- 
ence. Independent  missionary  movements  were  ap- 
pealing to  the  church  for  countenance  and  support; 
but  at  that  session  rival  movements  received  no 
countenance  whatever,  and  under  the  divine  bless- 
ing the  conference  became  fully  united  in  support 
of  its  own  institutions. 

In  the  fall  of  1891  I  entered  upon  my  pastorate 
at  the  Second  church,  Chicago,  which  then  wor- 
shiped in  a  hall  on  Ogden  avenue.  Some  of  God'j* 
elect  were  numbered  with  that  society.  For  three 
years  I  remained  their  pastor,  and  we  enjoyed  many 
precious  seasons  together.  Brother  Chesbro  was 
our  worthy  Bible-class  teacher,  and  his  presence 
was  always  an  inspiration  to  our  meetings.  Sister 
Dudman  was  in  the  vigor  of  strength  those  days 
and  her  earnest  prayers  and  fiery  testimonies  cre- 
ated a  hungering  in  many  a  heart  after  the  experi- 
ence of  perfect  love.  Brother  and  Sister  John  Ty- 
ler and  their  two  daughters  were  among  the  strong 
and  faithful  supporters  of  the  church.  The  Cure- 
ton  sisters  were  tried  and  true  saints  and  have  since 
died  in  peace.  The  society  continued  to  prosper 
and  is  now  located  in  a  comfortable  church  on 
Lexington  street. 


CHAPTER  XXIII. 


At  the  (lawn  of  the  year  1892  I  was  engaged  in 
a  watch-night  service  at  Omaha,  Nebraska,  Sister 
Newberry,  pastor.  A  blessed  spirit  prevailed.  Sis- 
ter N.  had  been  engaged  in  special  meetings  at  that 
point  for  a  few  weeks  and  a  number  had  been  saved. 
A  man  ninety-six  years  old  was  converted  during 
the  meetings  and  testified  to  having  a  sure  hope  in 
Christ.    AVhat  a  trophy  of  grace  I 

In  June,  1802,  I  made  my  first  visit  to  South  Da- 
kota, attending  the  Mitchell  district  camp-mc^ting, 
held  near  Olivet,  in  charge  of  Chairman  J.  B.  Free- 
land.  The  attendance  was  good,  considering  the 
scattered  condition  of  the  work,  and  the  services 
were  interesting.  There  was  about  the  same 
amount  of  "digging  down"  and  "clearing  up"  that 
is  witnessed  in  older  sections  of  the  work.  I  met 
several  pilgrims  whom  I  had  formerly  known  in 
Michigan.  They  had  passed  through  severe  strug- 
gles and  experienced  great  privations  in  their  ef- 
forts to  secure  homes  in  that  new  country.  The 
work  of  the  church  was  then  in  its  formation  period, 
and  many  sacrifices  have  been  made  to  bring  the 
conference  to  its  present  state. 

On  reaching  the  Grand  Meadow  camp-ground  on 
the  17th,  I  found  Chairman  C.  H.  Sage  busily  en- 
gaged planning  and  working  for  the  meeting.  Some 
of  the  pilgrims  drove  over  eighty  miles  to  attend 

180 


BUKTOX  K.  JONES 


181 


that  meeting,  evideuciug  their  appreciation  of  the 
means  of  grace.  The  same  forms  of  inhpiity  abound 
as  in  older  sections  of  the  country,  and  the  same 
divine  power  is  needed  to  bring  souls  to  Christ. 
Brother  Sage  wrote  of  the  meeting:  "It  was  a 
grand  success.  Several  were  converted,  some 
sanctified  and  the  saints  wonderfully  quickened. 
God  came  in  power.  It  was  one  of  the  grandest 
meetings  I  ever  attended." 

It  was  my  privilege  to  preach  the  annual  sermon 
at  the  first  commencement  day  of  the  Wessington 
Springs  Seminary,  June  22,  1892,  Professor  J.  K. 
Freeland,  principal.  The  maiden  class  of  gradu- 
ates were  all  maidens,  and  their  maiden  orations 
were  of  a  character  that  gave  credit  both  to  them- 
selves and  to  their  instructors.  The  exercises  in 
the  various  departments  were  interesting  and  gave 
evidence  of  the  excellent  work  being  done  by  that 
pioneer  school.  Professor  C.  W.  Shay  and  Miss 
Emma  Pretty,  both  graduates  of  Spring  Arbor 
Seminary,  were  members  of  the  faculty. 

By  invitation  of  the  chairman.  Rev.  E.  E.  Hall, 
I  attended  the  district  camp-meeting  at  Birming- 
ham, Iowa,  in  August,  1892.  It  was  estimated  that 
about  5,000  people  were  in  attendance  on  the  Sab- 
bath. On  Monday  there  was  a  perceptible  increase 
in  the  melting,  molding  power  of  the  Holy  Spirit 
on  the  people.  The  saints  settled  into  Christ  more 
fully.  Groups  of  praying  ones,  accompanied  by 
yearning  souls,  could  be  seen  retiring  to  the  woods, 
and  soon  the  forest  rang  with  their  fervent  prayers. 
Notes  of  victory  were  struck  and  the  interest 
steadily  increased  until  the  meeting  closed.  Some 


182 


LIFE  AND  LABORS  OF 


were  converted,  a  few  reclaimed  from  a  backslidden 
state,  while  others  were  sanctified  wholly.  The 
ground  on  which  the  meeting  was  held  has  since 
been  purchased,  a  substantial  tabernacle  erected 
and  a  permant  camp-ground  established. 

Duing  the  year  1892  the  death  of  several  per- 
sons who  had  been  prominent  in  the  work  of  the 
church  was  announced  through  The  Free  Methodist. 
Among  them  were  Rev.  R.  W.  Hawkins,  a  valued 
Christian  minister,  well  known  throughout  the  de- 
nomination;  D.  W.  Abrams,  a  leading  layman  of 
Michigan.  He  was  a  member  of  the  executive  com- 
mittee and  took  a  deep  interest  in  the  home  and 
foreign  work ;  Dewey  Tef t,  a  charter  member  in 
\yestern  New  York,  and  several  times  a  delegate  to 
general  conference;  Joseph  Jones,  of  Michigan,  at 
whose  home  E.  P.  Hart  made  headquarters  when 
opening  the  work  in  that  state.  He  was  one  of  the 
charter  members  at  Ida;  Rev.  Joseph  McCreery, 
that  eccentric  man  of  God,  well  known  to  early  Free 
Methodists.  He  was  driven  from  the  Methodist 
Episcopal  church  in  1858,  the  same  year  that  B.  T. 
Roberts  and  other  holy  men  were  expelled.  The 
following  note  from  his  pen  appeared  in  The  Free 
Methodkt  while  I  was  editor:  "The  holiness  that 
Methodists  were  raised  up  to  spread  was  the  kind 
that  changed  the  feelings  and  lives  of  those  who 
experienced  it.  It  took  the  world,  self  and  the  devil 
out  of  them,  clothed  them  in  their  right  minds,  and 
set  them  at  the  feet  of  Jesus.  It  took  from  their 
soul,  and  bodies,  and  spirits,  all  that  God's  Word 
I>rohibits,  and  gave  them  to  possess  all  that  God's 
Word  promises." 


Brrrrox  k  jones 


183 


The  years  1801-92  marked  a  crisis  in  the  foreign 
missionary  work  of  the  church.  The  general  confer- 
ence had  appointed  a  general  missionary  board  to 
take  the  oversight  of  the  missionary  interests  of 
the  church.  A  little  later  several  independent  mis- 
sionary movements  were  inaugurated  within  the 
church,  exercising  the  powers  and  functions  of  the 
general  missionary  board,  and  their  leaders  assum- 
ing prerogatives  not  given  them  by  the  church. 

At  the  Wabash  conference  in  1890,  Superintend 
ent  Hart  rendered  the  following  decision:  "Out 
side  the  general  missionary  board  there  is  no  au- 
thority for  appointing  missionaries  to  foreign 
lands.''  The  decision  was  sustained  by  the  general 
conference.  It  was  felt  by  those  who  were  loyal 
to  the  church  that  her  sacred  interests  required 
the  utmost  harmony  in  her  missionary  operations, 
and  that  her  missionary  work  should  be  under  the 
immediate  supervision  of  the  board,  and  the  au- 
thority vested  in  the  board  recognized  by  the  en- 
tire church.  In  different  localities  members  of  the 
church  were  being  solicited  to  contribute  to  the 
support  of  missions  under  the  management  of  self- 
appointed  leaders  who  paid  no  regard  to  the  au- 
thorities of  the  church.  Their  course  tended  to  de- 
plete the  treasury  of  the  church  board  and  cripple 
the  regular  work.  The  course  they  took  was  dis- 
approved by  the  leading  men  of  the  church,  and 
the  controversy,  at  times,  became  somewhat  heated. 
Different  quarterly  conferences  throughout  the  con- 
nection took  official  action,  disapproving  of  the 
course  pursued  by  the  agitators  of  the  independ- 
ent movements. 


184 


LIFE  AND  LABORS  OF 


As  the  guardian  of  the  church  it  became  the 
duty  of  The  Free  Methodist  to  enter  an  earnest 
protest  against  methods  so  unwarranted,  and  ques- 
tion tlie  loyalty  of  those  who  disregarded  the  dis- 
ciplinary provisions  of  the  church.  For  this  open 
stand  the  editor  received  his  full  share  of  criticism.  . 
Subsequent  developments,  however,  proved  the  po 
sition  of  The  Free  Methodist  to  have  been  right,  and 
at  this  time  (190!))  our  foreign  missionary  work  is 
in  a  prosperous  state,  having  no  rival  interests  call- 
ing for  the  support  of  the  church.  In  India,  Africa, 
Japan  and  China  we  have  well-established  mission 
stations  from  which  the  light  of  the  glorious  gos- 
pel is  steadily  shining  out  into  the  heathen  dark- 
ness that  surrounds  them. 

Where  love  and  harmony  prevail  the  best  results 
may  be  expected.  To  insure  this  in  any  organized 
body  there  must  be  a  proper  recognition  of  properly 
constituted  authority. 

The  following  letter,  dated  January  16,  1893,  an- 
nouncing the  organization  of  the  first  Free  Method- 
ist society  in  Africa  was  received  from  Fair  View 
Mission  station,  Xatal,  South  Africa : 

"Dear  Brother  Jones  : — Yesterdr.y  we  organized  a 
class  of  eight  members,  inelnding  Mrs.  Noyes  and  myself. 
Others  are  getting  ready  to  join.  Pray  for  this  little  band 
of  Zulu  pilgrims  with  dusky  faces  and  loving  hearts.  It 
affords  me  unspeakable  joy  to  grasp  them  by  the  hand  on 
behalf  of  the  church  and  call  them  brother  and  sister. 
They  were  greatly  affected  and  wept  for  joy  as  Brother 
Noyes  talked  to  them  about  the  duties  and  privileges  of 
church  members.  It  was  a  precious  season.  The  'Gk)d 
of  Jacob  is  our  refuge.'  F.  Grace  Allen." 


BURTON  K.  JOXES 


185 


A  sudden  sadness  settled  over  The  Free  Methodist 
office  on  February  21,  1893,  on  receipt  of  the  fol- 
lowing telegram  from  Cattaraugus,  New  York : 

"Brother  B.  T.  Roberts  passed  to  his  eternal  rest  just 
before  one  o'clock." 

The  death  of  this  devoted  man  of  God  cast  a 
shadow  over  the  entire  church.  As  the  founder  of 
the  Free  Methodist  church  and  one  whose  energies 
were  fully  enlisted  in  the  work  of  God,  his  death 
vras  deeply  mourned.  His  deep  devotion,  singleness 
of  purpose,  Christ-like  simplicity,  and  zeal  for  the 
promotion  of  the  work  of  God  endeared  him  to  all 
with  whom  he  was  associated. 

During  the  early  part  of  his  ministry  Mr.  Rob- 
erts experienced  the  blessing  of  holiness.  True  to 
his  convictions  he  chose  the  unpopular  w^ay,  and 
received  such  an  enduement  of  power  as  he  had 
never  experienced  before.  Thorough  revivals  fol- 
lowed wherever  he  labored.  Realizing  the  paraly- 
zing effects  of  worldly  innovations  on  the  church, 
he  lifted  up  his  voice  against  them.  This,  together 
with  the  faithful  advocacy  of  the  doctrine  of  holi- 
ness, aroused  bitter  opposition  and  j>ersecution,  re- 
sulting in  his  separation  from  the  mother  church. 
That  necessitated  a  new  organization. 

In  1860  the  Free  Methodist  church  was  organ- 
ized, of  which  Rev.  B.  T.  Roberts  was  elected  the 
first  general  superintendent,  which  honored  posi- 
tion he  occupied  until  his  death.  Being  a  thorough 
scholar  and  a  devout  Christian,  he  was  eminently 
qualified  for  leadership  in  the  church  of  God.  With 
untiring  energy,  patient  endurance  and  victorious 


180 


LIFE  AND  LABORS  OF 


faith  he  stood  at  the  forefront  in  the  great  moral 
conflict.  With  him  the  work  of  God  was  paramount 
to  every  other  consideration.  To  the  church  the 
death  of  such  a  devoted  and  trusted  leader  was  a 
great  loss. 

Memorial  services  were  held  at  the  First  church, 
Chicago,  April  11th,  in  charge  of  Superintendent 
Hart  Bv  arrangement  of  the  executive  committee 
the  following  persons  addressed  the  meeting:  E.  P. 
Hart,  G.  W.  Coleman,  B.  Winget,  J.  B.  Freeland, 
B.  R.  Jones.  Voluntary  addresses  were  made  by 
others.  About  forty  ministers  were  present,  repre- 
senting seven  annual  conferences.  The  occasion 
was  one  of  deep  solemnity  and  spiritual  edification. 

At  the  special  meeting  of  the  executive  commit- 
tee, held  at  14  X.  May  Street,  Chicago,  April  4, 
1893,  Rev.  Wilson  T.  Hogue  was  elected  general 
superintendent  to  fill  the  vacancy  caused  by  the 
death  of  Sufjerintendent  Roberts. 

Following  close  upon  the  death  of  Superintendent 
Roberts  came  the  death  of  Rev.  John  Ellison,  one 
of  the  pioneers  of  the  Michigan  conference.  At 
the  request  of  the  family  I  conducted  the  funeral 
services  at  Spring  Arbor,  Michigan,  April  6,  1893. 

Having  been  associated  with  Brother  Ellison  in 
the  ministry  for  over  twenty-five  years,  I  feel  com- 
petent to  pronounce  upon  his  true  character  and 
real  worth.  He  was  a  faithful  pastor,  an  efficient 
chairman  and  a  successful  revivalist.  His  work 
was  thorough,  and  those  who  were  converted  under 
his  labors  usually  made  strong  adherents  to  the 
principles  of  the  church.  He  organized  many  new 
societies,  and  was  ever  ready  to  make  the  sacrifices 


KUKTOX  K.  JONES 


187 


and  endure  the  hardsliips  incident  to  establishing 
the  work  in  new  fields. 

John  Ellison  won  that  true  merit  which  attaches 
to  men  by  virtue  of  right  character,  and  which  can 
not  be  acquired  by  wealth,  or  j)osition,  or  literary 
attainment.  In  him  were  blended  those  elements 
that  produce  a  pure  and  strong  character.  A  royal 
nobleness  was  in  his  step  and  truth  and  devotion 
shone  in  impressive  characters  in  his  face. 

The  providence  that  removes  such  holy  men  from 
the  field  of  toil  is  mysterious.  But  it  is  the  privi- 
lege of  the  church  to  see  the  hand  of  God  in  every 
event  of  providence,  and  by  faith  learn  His  benevo- 
lent design  in  every  chastening.  No  doubt  should 
be  allowed  to  weaken  the  faith  which  God  inspires. 
Could  we  see  as  God  sees,  and  know  as  God  knows, 
we  would  wish  nothing  in  His  plans  or  discipline 
changed. 

On  June  10,  1893,  I  was  taken  with  an  attack  of 
fever  and  did  not  leave  my  house  for  six  weeks. 
All  my  engagements  for  camp-meetings  and  dedi- 
cations were  canceled  and  I  was  relieved  of  all 
care  of  the  paper.  This  threw  added  responsibili- 
ties upon  our  devoted  and  efficient  office  editor — 
Sister  Mary  L.  Baker.  Several  of  the  correspond- 
ing editors  and  other  contributors  rallied  to  our 
help  and  there  was  no  lack  of  material  for  the  edi- 
torial department. 

'The  Lord  graciously  sustained  me  during  my  sick- 
ness, and  I  enjoyed  seasons  of  precious  communion 
with  Him.  Never  before  during  my  ministry  had  I 
been  so  completely  prostrated.  But  I  was  enabled 
by  grace  to  patiently  submit  to  the  will  of  God,  hav- 


188 


LIFE  AND  LABORS  OF 


ing  the  assurance  that  all  things  work  together  for 
good  to  them  that  love  Him. 

On  July  28th  I  took  steamer  for  Bay  View,  Mich- 
igan.  After  my  long,  weary  confinement  the  three- 
hundred-mile  trip  down  Lake  Michigan  was  very 
invigorating.  On  arriving  at  Bay  View  I  received 
a  cordial  welcome  by  Brother  and  Sister  Joseph 
Nash,  at  whose  pleasant  cottage  I  was  warmly  en- 
tertained during  my  stay  there.  They  showed  me 
every  possible  kindness,  and  provided  me  with 
everything  they  thought  would  contribute  to  my  re- 
covery.   They  shall  not  lose  their  reward. 

After  spending  one  month  among  the  pleasant  and 
healthful  surroundings  of  Bay  View  I  started  home- 
ward, arriving  September  2,  fully  recovered  in  health 
and  thanking  God  for  His  gracious  care  over  me.  The 
mental  excitements  produced  by  change  of  associa- 
tions and  conditions,  while  more  or  less  salutary, 
soon  gave  place  to  those  nobler  and  more  inspiring 
visions  which  are  produced  by  a  revelation  of  God 
to  the  heart. 

In  1893  I  attended  the  famous  parliament  of  re- 
ligions assembled  in  Chicago.  Distinguished  dele- 
gates were  present  from  all  parts  of  the  world.  Ju- 
daism, Mohammedanism,  Buddhism,  Confucianism, 
Shintoism,  Hinduism,  Parseeism  and  Brahmanism 
were  all  represented  by  scholarly  men. 

The  professed  aim  of  the  parliament  was  to 
''unite  all  religions  against  irreligion."  It  afforded 
a  grand  opportunity  for  the  anti-Christian  and  un- 
orthodox systems  of  religion  to  laud  their  princi- 
ples and  emphasize  their  virtues  before  the  world. 
They  sought  to  make  it  appear  that  America  was 


BURTON  R.  JONES 


suffering  for  want  of  light  from  those  apostles  of 
the  oriental  religions. 

The  whole  proceedings  appeared  like  a  gross  per- 
version of  the  true  principles  of  Christianity  and 
a  fruitless  effort  to  unite  what  God  has  declared  to 
be  eternal  opposites — Christ  and  Belial,  light  and 
darkness,  righteousness  and  unrighteousness.  The 
"religious  unity"  that  aims  at  such  a  commingling 
of  Protestantism  with  the  Christ-rejecting  religions 
of  the  world  as  to  recognize  all  to  be  traveling  to- 
ward the  same  end,  though  by  "various  paths," 
is  far  from  the  unity  that  is  produced  by  the  out- 
pouring of  the  Holy  Spirit  on  mankind. 

The  immortal  Joseph  Cook  appeared  as  the  cham- 
pion of  orthodox  Christianity.  In  unequivocal 
terms  he  declared  that  the  religion  that  does  not 
save  its  possessor  from  the  guilt  and  love  of  sin  is 
a  base  counterfeit,  and  that  only  through  the  atone- 
ment of  Christ  can  mankind  thus  be  saved. 


CHAPTEK  XXIV. 


Thirty-six  hours  out  from  Chicago  brought  me  to 
Colorado  Springs,  Colorado,  May  12,  1894,  en  route 
for  the  Pacific  coast.  I  was  cordially  received  at 
the  home  of  Elder  C.  W.  Stamp.  Some  time  was 
spent  in  viewing  the  natural  wonders  of  that  moun- 
tain region.  Wearied  with  the  monotony  of  the 
plains  the  tourist  enjoys  the  glens  and  canyons, 
lakes  and  waterfalls,  caverns  and  peaks  that  abound 
there.  Amid  summer  heat  one  can  look  out  upon 
a  region  of  perpetual  snow.  Pike's  Peak,  the  most 
majestic  peak  of  Colorado,  towers  above  the  clouds 
to  an  altitude  of  14,174  feet. 

A  visit  to  the  "Garden  of  the  Gods"  brought  us 
in  view  of  huge,  upright  forms  of  rocks  of  inde- 
scribable grandeur.  Toward  the  western  extremity 
of  the  Garden  stands  "Balanced  Rock,''  a  ponder- 
ous, upright  boulder,  balanced  upon  a  narrow,  piv- 
otal base.  As  one  stands  in  the  shadow  of  those 
marvelous  rock  formations  he  is  inspired  with  the 
deepest  reverence  for  the  God  of  infinite  wisdom 
and  power. 

My  normal  and  most  healthful  altitude,  however, 
was  reached  when  I  entered  upon  the  religious  serv- 
ices of  the  occasion.  I  shared  a  most  agreeable  and 
profitable  season  with  the  pilgrims  of  Colorado 
Springs  and  adjoining  circuits.  Of  this  meeting 
Brother  Stamp  wrote  for  The  Free  Methodist: 

190 


BUKTON  It.  JONES 


191 


"Colorado  Springs  has  been  blessed  with  a  visit 
from  Brother  B.  K.  Jones,  our  editor.  He  preached 
three  times  to  good  congregations,  with  much  di- 
vine help.  The  pilgrims  from  near-by  circuits  at- 
tended the  services,  and  God  was  with  us  in  power. 
This  season  of  refreshing  was  a  great  blessing  to 
the  people  of  Colorado  Springs.  May  Brother 
Jones  be  spared  many  years  to  preach  and  write  the 
glorious  gospel.  C.  W.  Stamp/-' 

We  left  Colorado  Springs  May  loth.  The  scenery 
through  Southern  Colorado  is  diversified  and  inter- 
esting. At  a  distance  of  ninety  miles  Pike's  Peak 
is  visible,  and  the  beautiful  Spanish  Peaks  come 
into  view,  alternately  disapj)earing  and  recurring  for 
a  distance  of  about  one  hundred  miles. 

Passing  into  New  Mexico  we  saw  exhibitions  of 
what  is  said  to  be  the  oldest  civilization  in  the  United 
States.  Occasionally  we  passed  a  typical  Mexican  vil- 
lage. Those  quaint  communities  are  composed  of 
adobe  huts  made  of  bricks  of  clay  mixed  with  chopped 
straw  and  dried  in  the  sun.  The  white  cross  seen 
on  the  humble  sanctuaries  indicates  the  religious 
belief  of  the  inhabitants.  The  marks  of  ignorance 
and  superstition  are  discernible  on  their  counte- 
nances, and  evidences  of  poverty,  indolence  and 
want  of  enterprise  may  be  seen  in  all  the  wayside 
villages.  The  condition  of  those  poor  Mexicans  is 
deplorable.  Counting  beads,  wearing  emblems,  pay- 
ing penance,  and  such  like,  alford  no  relief  to  those 
poor,  ignorant,  priest-ridden  i)eople.  It  seems  to 
be  a  field  for  mission  enterprise  quite  as  needy  as 
among  the  black  skins  of  the  "Dark  Continent." 

A  fearful  sand-storm  swept  over  Xorthern  Ari- 


192 


LIFE  'VXD  LABORS  OF 


zona  a  few  hours  ahead  of  us,  wrecking  the  train 
which  I  would  have  been  on  had  I  not  been  detained 
in  Colorado  one  day  longer  than  I  had  planned.  In 
that  i)rotecting  providence  I  recognize  the  hand  of 
God. 

At  "The  Needles''  —  mountain  peaks  towering 
high  and  tajjering  to  very  small  points — we  crossed 
the  Colorado  river  into  California.  Our  first  greet- 
ing at  this  point  was  by  a  group  of  Indians  of  the 
Mojave  tribe.  Squaws  with  papooses  on  their 
backs  crowd  around  incoming  trains  and  stretch 
out  their  dirty  hands  for  nickles. 

For  over  250  miles  through  the  eastern  part  of 
California,  the  country  is  as  barren  and  desolate 
as  any  part  of  Arizona  or  New  Mexico.  But  when 
within  about  one  hundred  miles  from  the  coast  the 
country  opens  up  into  one  of  the  most  beautiful 
and  fertile  fruit-growing  regions  I  ever  beheld. 
On  arriving  at  Los  Angeles  I  was  most  cordially 
welcomed  at  the  home  of  Brother  and  Sister  E.  C. 
Shipley  whom  I  had  formerly  known  in  Ohio. 

On  May  18th  I  made  my  first  visit  to  the  orange- 
groves  and  vineyards  of  Southern  California.  It 
was  a  rare  treat  to  me,  and  had  my  commission 
read  that  way  I  should  have  been  willing  to  occupy 
one  of  those  cozy  cottages — buried  in  rich  profusion 
of  flowers  and  surrounded  by  beautiful  orchards 
laden  with  golden  fruits.  But  my  calling  being  of 
a  higher  order  I  felt  perfectly  satisfied  to  continue 
in  the  Master's  work,  treasuring  my  wealth  in 
heaven. 

It  was  my  privilege  to  attend  the  fourth  session 
of  the  Southern  California  conference,  held  at  Santa 


BURTON  K.  302sEii 


193 


Ana,  May  16-20,  1894.  Superintendent  Hogue  pre- 
sided. A  good  spirit  was  shown  in  all  the  business 
sittings,  and  the  discussions  which  necessarily  arose 
in  deciding  the  various  questions  that  came  before 
the  conference  were  conducted  in  a  spirit  of  love. 

Many  diflHculties  are  met  in  the  work  on  the  Pa- 
cific coast.  In  addition  to  the  usual  embarrass- 
ment incident  to  the  promotion  of  thorough  gospel 
work,  the  fearful  craze  for  riches  that  has  seized 
the  masses  in  that  region  makes  it  extremely  difiS- 
cult  to  win  them  to  Christ.  Even  pastors  experi- 
ence some  difficulty  at  times  in  resisting  the  temp- 
tation to  go  into  some  form  of  speculation.  There 
is  a  mighty  warfare  to  be  waged.  Even  in  that 
"flower  garden  of  the  world"  it  has  been  proven  that 
men  are  not  "carried  to  the  skies  on  flowery  beds  of 
ease."  I  enjoyed  one  service  with  the  church  in 
Los  Angeles  and  found  a  goodly  number  of  God's 
elect  earnestly  contending  for  the  "faith  which  was 
once  delivered  unto  the  saints." 

Twenty-one  hours  out  from  Los  Angeles  brought 
me  to  Trestle  Glen  Park,  East  Oakland,  the  seat 
of  the  California  conference.  Superintendent  Hart, 
being  a  member  of  that  conference,  took  an  active 
interest  in  its  proceedings.  Rev.  W.  D.  Bishop,  one 
of  the  early  pioneers  of  the  Michigan  conference, 
united  at  that  session  and  took  an  evangelist's  re- 
lation. There  was  a  large  gathering  of  God's  chosen 
ones  at  that  conference,  and  the  presence  of  the 
Master  crowned  the  services.  A  few  souls  were 
converted,  others  sanctified  wholly. 

As  elsewhere  in  California  the  work  has  ever 
moved  slowly  in  that  conference.    Satan  seems  to 


194 


LIFE  AND  LABORS  OF 


have  the  general  manageiLeiit  of  affairs  among  the 
masses.  The  politicians  are  corrupt,  business  men 
are  unscrupulous  and  the  large  churches  are  proud, 
formal  and  powerless.  Yet  in  many  places  may 
be  found  a  few  saints  who  have  not  bowed  the  knee 
to  Baal  and  are  maintaining  the  standard  of  gos- 
pel simplicity  and  spirituality.  A  steady,  aggres- 
sive movement,  with  full  reliance  upon  God,  is  sure 
to  result  in  strengthening  and  enlarging  the  bor- 
ders of  the  church  in  that  land  of  indifference  and 
skepticism. 

Through  the  kindness  of  Brother  B.  L.  Knoll,  a 
Michigan  product,  I  was  privileged  to  view  the 
country  for  thirty  miles  around  San  Jose.  That 
region  is  spoken  of  by  some  as  the  '"Garden  of  the 
World."  For  a  whole  day  we  drove  through  one 
continuous  fruit  garden.  As  a  rich  beautiful  fruit 
region  Santa  Clara  valley  surpasses  anything  of 
the  kind  I  have  seen  elsewhere.  We  made  short 
visits  at  the  homes  of  Brothers  Kibby  and  Collis- 
ter,  whom  I  had  formerly  known  in  Ohio. 

I  spent  Sunday,  May  10,  1894,  with  the  church 
at  Alameda,  Rev.  William  Pearce,  pastor.  A  few 
devoted  saints  were  keeping  the  gospel  banner  un- 
furled and  waiting  for  a  gracious  outpouring  of  the 
Holy  Spirit.  During  my  stay  in  Alameda  I  was 
kindly  entertained  at  the  pleasant  home  of  Super- 
intendent Hart  and  family.  A  little  rest  was 
needed,  and  I  could  not  easily  have  found  a  more 
congenial  resting-place. 

After  spending  three  weeks  most  pleasantly  with- 
in the  bounds  of  the  California  conference,  I  re- 


BURTON  K.  JONES 


195 


sumed  my  journey  northward,  leaving  Alameda 
June  12,  1894. 

The  all-rail  line  between  San  Francisco  and  Port- 
land is  regarded  as  one  of  the  most  difficult  and 
costly  railway  engineering  achievements  on  the  con- 
tinent. Along  the  entire  route  the  scenery  is  ex- 
tremely picturesque,  making  the  trip  very  interest- 
ing. Castle  Crags,  Mossbrae  Falls,  and  the  impos- 
ing grandeur  of  Mount  Shasta  are  exceedingly  fas- 
cinating. As  our  train  threaded  its  way  through 
beautifully  wooded  canyons,  whirling  around  sud- 
den curves  along  crests  of  dark  chasms,  interming- 
ling expressions  of  alarm,  delight  and  admiration 
might  be  heard  among  the  passengers. 

On  arriving  at  Tacoma,  Washington,  I  found  El- 
der C.  E.  McReynolds  and  others  engaged  in  a  tent- 
meeting.  The  services  were  interesting  and  profit- 
able. The  saints  were  blest  in  labors  and  the  Holy 
Spirit  gave  inspiration  in  preaching  the  Word  of 
life.  There  as  elsewhere  the  fearful  pressure  of 
formality  and  worldliness  was  felt,  and  it  is  only 
by  the  most  diligent  perseverance  and  watchful- 
ness that  the  saints  maintain  their  spirituality  and 
the  church  its  existence. 

The  trip  down  Puget  Sound  to  Seattle  was  very 
pleasant.  In  company  with  Rev.  A.  Beers  I  visited 
the  new  and  flourishing  seminary  in  that  city.  From 
the  beginning,  Seattle  Seminary  has  proven  itself 
worthy  the  patronage  and  support  of  all  who  are 
interested  in  Christian  education.  Since  that  time 
its  growth  has  been  phenomenal,  and  hundreds  of 
young  people  have  gone  out  from  its  walls  to  bless 
the  world. 


196 


LIFE  AND  LABORS  OF 


At  Spokane,  Washington,  I  attended  a  camp 
meeting  in  charge  of  Rev.  J.  C.  Scott.  The  minis- 
ters present  were  in  the  Spirit,  and  labored  faith- 
fully and  harmoniously.  A  good  work  was  done. 
Souls  were  saved,  and  a  strong  sentiment  created 
in  favor  of  a  thorough  type  of  salvation.  The  spir- 
itual tide  ran  deep  and  clear.  The  harvest-time 
had  nicely  set  in  as  the  closing  day  arrived.  That 
was  one  of  the  many  instances  I  had  noted  in 
which,  as  it  seemed  to  me,  a  much  greater  harvest 
might  have  been  gathered  if  the  services  had  been 
prolonged. 

In  company  with  Brother  A.  Beers  I  resumed  my 
journey  eastward  June  25,  1894.  The  next  day  as 
our  train  drew  into  the  depot  at  Livingston,  Mon- 
tana, a  crowd  of  railroad  employes,  cowboys, 
tramps  and  hoodlums  surrounded  the  platform. 
Evidently  trouble  was  brewing.  A  gigantic  strike 
had  been  inaugurated  through  sympathy  with  the 
employes  of  the  Pullman  Car  Company.  The  North- 
ern Pacific  Company  refusing  to  allow  its  train  to 
proceed  without  the  Pullman  coaches,  we  were  side- 
tracked, and  over  two-hundred  and  fifty  persons 
were  suddenly  added  to  the  population  of  the  city. 
Intense  excitement  prevailed,  yet  no  violence  was 
attempted. 

After  being  shut  in  at  Livingston  for  ten  days, 
and  despairing  of  immediate  relief  through  govern- 
ment intervention,  we  planned  a  way  of  escape; 
Early  on  June  7th  a  company  of  eight  mounted  a 
stage-coach  and  began  a  journey  of  one  hundred 
forty  miles.  Relieved  from  the  long  suspense  under 
which  we  had  been  held,  there  was  a  general  expres- 


BUKTON  K.  JONES 


197 


sion  of  satisfaction  over  tlie  prospect  of  going 
somewhere.  Our  route  lay  along  the  line  of  a  suc: 
cession  of  typical  mountain  towns  where  butter  and 
eggs  were  scarce  but  "mountain  whisky"  was  plen- 
tiful. We  passed  through  the  region  where  years 
before  hostile  Indians  made  frequent  raids  on  the 
white  settlers,  slaughtering  them  without  mercy.  It 
was  a  rare  thing  to  see  a  church  in  any  of  the  small 
towns.  Mining  interests  were  the  leading  topics 
of  conversation,  and  beer  and  whisky  the  principal 
articles  of  merchandise.  After  a  three-days'  drive 
we  reached  Helena,  Montana,  where  we  found  an 
outlet  over  the  Great  Northern  whose  operations 
had  not  been  interrupted  by  the  strike. 

The  following  editorial  note  appeared  in  The 
Free  Methodist  of  July  18,  1894 :  ^'Home  again. 
In  the  order  of  a  kind  providence  I  am  again  per- 
mitted to  occupy  my  place  in  The  Free  Methodist 
office.  During  an  absence  of  over  two  months  and 
a  journey  of  nearly  7,000  miles  the  Lord  has  gra- 
ciously sustained  and  protected  me.  Amid  perils 
of  flood  and  fire  and  riots  which  attended  my  trip 
no  harm  was  permitted  to  befall  me." 

Altogether,  my  trip  to  the  Pacific  coast  was  most 
enjoyable  and  profitable.  I  was  warmly  received 
and  kindly  entertained  at  every  point.  I  met  a 
number  with  whom  I  had  associated  in  former 
days,  and  formed  many  new  acquaintances  among 
the  saints  scattered  abroad. 

At  Sarahsville,  Ohio,  September  5-9,  1894,  by  ap- 
pointment of  Superintendent  Hart,  I  had  my  first 
experience  in  presiding  over  an  annual  conference. 
Of  that  session  Rev.  W.  B.  Olmstead  wrote  for 


198 


LIFE  AND  LABORS  OF 


The  Free  Methodist:  ''The  sixteenth  annual  ses- 
sion of  the  Ohio  conference  was  the  occasion  of  a 
great  spiritual  outpouring.  Peace  and  harmony 
prevailed.  Rev.  B.  R.  Jones  presided  with  great 
acceptability.  It  seemed  as  though  the  business  of 
the  conference  could  not  have  been  conducted  with 
greater  dispatch  and  thoroughness.  The  religious 
services  were  all  good,  but  the  climax  was  reached 
on  Sunday  when  the  power  of  God  came  on  preach- 
ers and  people  in  a  most  remarkable  manner.  The 
vast  audience  was  mightily  moved  and  both  saints 
and  sinners  felt  the  power  of  the  Spirit  and  real- 
ized that  Elijah's  God  was  walking  in  our  midst. 
It  was  one  of  those  indescribable  scenes  when,  for 
a  short  period,  heaven  and  earth  come  together. 
Praise  the  Lord.  We  are  encouraged,  for  we  know 
that  God  Is  with  us." 

W.  C.  Muffitt,  having  been  elected  to  elder's  or- 
ders and  S.  C.  Sherburn  to  deacon's  orders,  were 
ordained  on  the  Sabbath.  That  was  my  first  expe- 
rience in  ordaining  men  to  the  gospel  ministry.  It 
was  there  I  made  my  first  official  address  to  a  body 
of  ministers.  Among  other  suggestions  as  to  the 
method  and  manner  of  effectual  preaching  was  the 
following,  which  was  somewhat  impressive  as  well 
as  amusing:  "Begin  low,  go  slow;  rise  higher, 
strike  fire;  wax  warm,  quit  in  a  storm." 

On  October  9,  1894,  I  made  the  following  entry 
in  my  diary :  "Have  spent  my  last  day  in  The  Free 
Methodist  office  as  editor  for  this  term  and  perhaps 
forever.  The  Lord  only  knows."  As  strange  as 
it  might  appear  to  the  uninitiated  some  well-mean- 
ing persons  took  occasion  to  criticise  my  work  as 


BURTON  K.  JONEIS 


199 


editor.  Not  knowing  how  general  the  dissatisfac- 
tion might  be  it  made  my  future  field  of  labor  ap- 
pear rather  uncertain.  Yet  I  was  perfectly  uncon- 
cerned, knowing  that  opportunities  for  usefulness 
were  limitless. 

On  the  above  date,  in  company  with  other  dele- 
gates, I  reached  Greenville,  Illinois,  the  seat  of  the 
general  conference.  To  my  great  pleasure  I  was  as- 
signed for  entertainment  to  the  pleasant  home  of 
Professor  and  Mrs.  A.  H.  Stilwell. 

On  October  10th,  Superintendent  Hart  called  the 
conference  to  order  in  Moss  Hall.  The  absence  of 
Superintendent  Roberts,  who  had  died  during  the 
quadrennium,  cast  a  shadow  over  the  conference. 
His  fervent  prayers,  earnest  exhortations  and  wise 
counsels  were  greatly  missed. 

The  many  important  questions  that  arose  were 
settled  on  the  basis  of  deliberate,  intelligent, 
prayerful  consideration,  and  not  on  that  of  mere 
sentiment.  It  was  the  general  feeling  that  what 
was  needed  was  not  so  much  additional  machinery 
as  more  skill  to  run  what  we  already  had. 

The  question  of  ordaining  women  came  up  for 
consideration  at  that  session.  The  annual  confer- 
ences had  already  decided  against  it  by  a  large  ma- 
jority, and  the  general  conference  was  confronted 
with  the  question,  "Will  it  be  expedient  to  adopt  a 
measure  involving  such  a  radical  change  in  our 
church  polity  since  a  majority  of  the  representa- 
tives of  all  the  annual  conferences  have  pronounced 
against  it?"  The  wisdom  of  legislation  involving 
radical  changes  on  any  line,  even  against  large  mi- 
norities, may  be  seriously  questioned.  The  more  im- 


200 


LIFE  AND  LABORS  OF 


XKDrtant  the  measure  the  greater  should  be  the  una- 
nimity with  which  it  is  adopted.  Two  sittings 
were  given  to  the  discussion  of  this  question,  dur- 
ing which  the  spirit  of  brotherly  love  prevailed. 
The  proposed  measure  was  lost  by  a  vote  of  sixty- 
five  nays  against  thirty-five  yeas.  The  most  ardent 
advocates  of  the  measure  accepted  the  decision  of 
the  church  in  a  Christian  spirit  and  the  work  con- 
tinued to  move  on  harmoniously. 

It  was  at  this  conference  that  the  church  decided 
to  purchase  permanent  quarters  in  Chicago  for  its 
publishing  house.  The  property  then  occupied  by 
the  First  Church  at  14-16  North  May  street,  was 
selected  for  that  purpose. 

The  order  of  business  for  October  20,  at  ten  a.  m., 
was  the  election  of  general  superintendents.  The 
hour  proved  to  be  one  of  special  importance  to  me. 
On  the  first  ballot  E.  P.  Hart,  G.  W.  Coleman  and 
B.  R.  Jones  were  declared  elected.  It  would  b? 
other  than  human  not  to  appreciate  such  an  honor. 
My  feelings  on  the  occasion  are  best  expressed  in 
the  following  remarks,  made  at  the  request  of  the 
conference,  immediately  after  my  election : 

''Mr.  President,  Dear  Brethren  : — Should  I  con- 
sult my  feelings  I  would  not  attempt  to  respond 
to  your  call  for  remarks.  My  election  as  editor  of 
The  Free  Methodist,  four  years  ago,  came  like  an 
electric  shock  to  me.  I  decided  at  that  time  that  I 
would  never  again  express  surprise  at  anything  a 
general  conference  might  do,  however  mysterious  it 
might  appear.  I  have  been  before  you  for  four 
years.  I  have  received  some  kindly  criticisms  and 
many  encouraging  words.    I  greatly  appreciate.this 


BURTON  It.  JONES 


201 


renewed  expression  of  your  confidence  and  esteem. 
From  some  rumors  that  were  afloat  I  thought  perhaps 
1  might  be  invited  to  vacate  the  editorial  chair,  but 
I  did  not  think  it  would  come  in  this  manner.  I 
am  a  loyal  Free  Methodist.  By  experience  I  know 
little  in  the  religious  world  outside  the  principles 
of  Free  Methodism.  I  am  a  Free  Methodist  by  edu- 
cation and  by  grace.  I  was  converted  in  this  church 
and  never  belonged  to  any  other.  For  over  twenty- 
five  years  I  have  been  engaged  in  the  ministry  of 
the  church.  During  that  time  I  have  never  dic- 
tated an  appointment  of  my  own.  The  voice  of  the 
church  has  ever  been  the  voice  of  God  to  me.  When 
I  first  entered  the  ministry  I  was  a  frail  young 
man  and  my  friends  prophesied  a  short  career  for 
me.  But  my  strength  has  increased  with  advanc- 
ing years,  and  to-day  I  am  stronger  than  ever  I 
was.  The  additional  responsibilities  you  place 
upon  me  by  your  action  to-day  seem  very  heavy; 
and  the  only  way  I  can  reconcile  myself  to  this 
position  of  trust  is  in  my  established  conviction 
that  God  appoints  our  work  and  ways  and  whatever 
He  orders  is  best.  I  am  fully  committed  to  the 
divine  will,  and  my  best  efforts  shall  be  given  to 
the  work  assigned  to  me.  God  asks  no  more,  the 
church  can  exact  no  more.  I  am  sure  I  shall  have 
your  sympathies,  your  encouragement,  your  co-op- 
eration and  your  prayers." 

The  following  tribute  appeared  in  the  General 
Conference  Daily  soon  after  the  election:  "The 
church  has  become  well  acquainted  with  Burton 
K.  Jones,  the  new  general  superintendent,  during 
the  past  four  years  of  his  labor  as  editor.  The 


202 


LIFE  AND  LABORS  OF 


Daily  predicts  that  he  will  be  found  to  be  a  safe 
counselor  and  careful  administrator.  When  young 
for  the  office  he  was  elected  traveling  chairman, 
and  during  the  most  of  his  ministerial  life,  until 
four  years  ago,  he  held  that  office,  his  fields  of  la- 
bor lying  in  Michigan  and  Ohio.  He  has  a  good 
reputation  as  a  presiding  officer  in  quarterly  con- 
ferences, and  is  a  wise  and  careful  administrator 
in  that  capacity,  which  is  a  guarantee  of  his  safe 
administration  in  the  higher  office  to  which  he  is 
now  called.  He  is  mild  in  manner,  deliberate  in 
judgment,  and  will  be  found  to  be  a  safe  leader  of 
our  people.  Mild  as  he  is,  firmness  is  a  strong  fea- 
ture of  his  character.  The  Daily  knows  this  to  be 
true,  and  can  furnish  the  proof  from  the  pigeon- 
holes of  his  editorial  desk.  He  can  say  *'no/  so 
it  will  be  the  end  of  controversy,  but  he  will  do 
it  with  a  smile  that  will  leave  pleasant  remem- 
brances. God  bless  him  and  make  him  a  blessing 
to  the  church.-' 

Rev.  W.  T.  Hogue,  a  most  worthy  and  capable 
brother,  was  elected  my  successor  as  editor  of  The 
Free  Methodist. 

The  title  of  ''chairman,"  used  to  designate  the 
elder  presiding  over  a  district,  was  changed  to  "dis- 
trict elder."  No  change  was  made  in  the  office, 
but  a  more  appropriate  name  given  to  the  officer. 
The  elders  soon  took  kindly  to  the  new  title,  and 
have  become  so  familiarized  with  it  that  they  would 
not  think  of  returning  to  the  old  secular  title. 

During  the  last  hours  of  the  session  there  were 
special  manifestations  of  the  divine  presence  and 
approval.    The  Lord  most  graciously  anointed  His 


BURTON  R.  JONES 


208 


servants  and,  with  few  exceptions,  the  delegates 
returned  to  their  homes  feeling  that  there  had  been 
less  friction  and  more  of  the  Holy  Spirit's  presence 
than  at  any  previous  general  conference  of  which 
they  had  any  knowledge. 

With  the  issue  of  November  7,  1894,  I  retired 
from  the  editorship  of  The  Free  Methodist.  For 
four  years  I  had  sought  through  its  columns  to 
voice  the  sentiments  and  principles  of  the  church 
in  a  fearless  and  dignified  manner  and  in  a  spirit 
becoming  a  periodical  ordained  of  God  to  spread 
the  work  of  ''true  holiness."  It  had  been  my  pur- 
pose to  give  hearty  support  to  those  issues  which, 
as  a  people,  we  hold  to  be  vital  to  Christian  experi- 
ence, and  discountenance  those  customs  and  prac- 
tises which  are  regarded  as  destructive  to  the  life 
and  power  of  godliness.  I  retired  feeling  under 
lasting  obligations  to  the  church  for  her  patience 
and  prayers,  her  sympathy  and  co-operation. 


CHAPTER  XXV. 


The  year  1895  held  much  that  was  pleasing  in 
store  for  me.  Evidently,  the  Lord  was  overruling 
the  events  of  my  life  for  His  glory  and  my  good. 
I  continued  my  headquarters  in  Chicago,  making 
my  home  at  Brother  John  Tyler's. 

I  had  the  pleasure  of  spending  the  first  Sabbath 
of  the  year  with  the  good  people  of  the  Second 
Church.  ''Have  salt  in  yourselves,"  was  my  morn- 
ing text.  I  was  conscious  that  a  goodly  number 
present  had  experimental  knowledge  of  the  puri- 
fying, preserving  properties  of  the  grace  of  God. 
The  Lord  graciously  helped  us,  and  it  was  a  bless- 
ing to  myself  and  to  others  to  be  present. 

On  January  11th,  I  arrived  at  Rochester,  New 
York,  where  I  had  engaged  to  assist  Rev.  B.  Win- 
get,  the  pastor,  in  a  few  meetings.  I  was  most  com- 
fortably .entertained  at  the  parsonage.  The  Lord 
honored  us  with  His  presence  during  the  meetings 
and  a  few  were  specially  helped  and  the  church 
strengthened. 

On  January  26,  27,  I  assisted  Brother  A.  E.  Tay- 
lor in  his  quarterly  meeting  at  Virginia  street,  Buf- 
falo. The  Lord  was  with  us  at  all  of  the  services 
and  the  pilgrims  were  encouraged  and  blessed.  The 
day  following  I  took  my  first  oath  and  gave  my  first 
testimony  in  a  civil  court.  A  will  bequeathing 
property  to  our  general  missionary  board  was  being 

204 


BURTON  K.  JONES 


205 


contested  in  the  circuit  court  in  Buffalo,  and  I 
was  summoned  as  a  witness  in  the  case. 

On  February  15,  1895,  1  made  the  following  entry 
in  my  diary :  ^'Chicago. — Received  a  letter  from 
my  daughter  Mabel,  who  is  attending  Greenville 
College,  giving  an  account  of  her  recent  conver- 
sion. Thank  the  Lord.  Prayers  are  answered.  May 
she  persevere  and  become  a  strong  Christian  char- 
acter. That  is  my  highest  ambition  for  my  chil- 
dren." 

On  the  evening  of  February  21,  1895,  a  little  com- 
pany gathered  at  the  home  of  Rev.  S.  K.  J.  Ches 
bro,  598  Spaulding  avenue,  Chicago,  it  being  the 
occasion  of  the  marriage  of  my  daughter,  Nellie 
Edith,  to  William  B.  Philpot.  My  first  desire  and 
earnest  prayer  for  them  is  that  they  may  be  saved 
and  devote  their  lives  to  God. 

The  following  w^as  my  first  list  of  special  ap- 
pointments published  after  being  elected  general 
superintendent : 

April. — North  Baltimore,  Ohio,  holiness  convention,  2-9; 
Hamilton,  Missouri,  dedication,  13,  14;  Pleasant  Grove, 
Ohio,  dedication,  27,  28.  May. — Jamestown,  New  Yoric,  4. 
5;  East  Otto,  New  York,  11,  12;  Greigsville,  New  York, 
18,  19;  Tonawanda,  New  York,  25,  26.  June. — Brantford, 
Ontario,  camp-meeting,  6-10;  Verona,  Ontario,  special,  16, 
17 ;  Havelock,  Ontario,  18 ;  Bracebridge,  Ontario,  camp- 
meeting,  19-24. 

It  was  my  privilege  to  share  in  the  labors  and 
blessings  of  an  excellent  holiness  convention  at 
North  Baltimore,  Ohio,  April  2-8,  1895,  W.  B.  01m- 
stead,  district  elder,  in  charge.  W.  G.  Hanmer 
was  also  present  besides  about  ten  other  preachers. 


20G 


LIFE  AND  LABORS  OF 


Three  services  were  held  each  day.  A  number  were 
sanctified  wholly  and  the  work  given  new  inspira- 
tion. Sunday  was  a  blessed  day.  Showers  of  glory 
came  on  the  saints  during  the  love-feast.  A  debt 
of  1475  on  the  church  property  was  wiped  out.  The 
victory  of  the  Sabbath  was  a  great  encouragement 
to  those  who  had  the  burden  of  the  work  on  their 
hearts. 

Of  the  dedication  at  Hannibal,  Missouri,  April 
14th,  I  made  the  following  note :  ''The  occasion  was 
one  of  blessing  and  encouragement  to  the  saints. 
Every  service  was  attended  with  the  presence  and 
power  of  God.  There  being  no  church  debt  to  pro- 
vide for,  about  |220  was  subscribed  toward  erect- 
ing a  parsonage.  Rev.  J.  W.  White,  the  pastor  and 
district  elder,  was  in  poor  health,  but  sufficiently 
recovered  to  attend  the  Sunday  services.  Quite  a 
number  of  the  saints  gathered  from  abroad,  and 
were  blest  in  laboring  and  sacrificing  to  bless  oth- 
ers. Missouri  is  honored  with  some  of  God^s 
anointed  ones,  and  they  are  praying  for  and  ex- 
pecting to  see  the  advancement  of  His  work. 

On  April  23,  1895,  we  were  shocked  by  a  tele- 
gram announcing  the  death  of  Rev.  J.  G.  Terrill 
while  in  New  York  city,  arranging  for  the  depart- 
ure of  Sister  Grace  Allen  to  the  mission  field  in 
Africa.  His  death  brought  sadness  to  the  entire 
church.  He  was  greatly  beloved  by  all.  His  life 
was  one  of  unselfish  devotion  to  the  interests  of 
God's  cause.  Brother  Terrill  was  a  "good  man,  and 
full  of  the  Holy  Ghost  and  of  faith."  He  identi- 
fied himself  with  Free  Methodism  at  its  origin,  and 
was  one  of  its  most  influential  leaders.    His  death 


BURTON  K.  JONES 


207 


was  triumphant  and  his  influence  will  live  on.  At 
the  time  of  his  death  Brother  Terrill  was  general 
missionary  secretary,  having  general  supervision  of 
the  foreign  missionary  work  of  the  church.  At  a 
meeting  of  the  executive  committee,  July  2,  1895, 
B.  Winget  was  selected  to  till  the  vacancy  caused 
by  Brother  T.'s  death. 

"Pleasant  Grove,  Ohio,  April  28,  1895.  For  nearly 
twenty  years  our  j>eo[)Ie  had  been  permitted  to  wor- 
ship in  a  union  church  at  this  place.  Their  expul- 
sion from  that  building  necessitated  the  erection  of 
a  new  church.  The  more  intelligent  portion  of  the 
community,  regarding  the  expulsion  as  unjust  and 
uncalled  for,  extended  their  sympathies  to  our  peo- 
ple and  contributed  liberally  of  their  means,  thus 
making  possible  the  erection  of  a  neat,  substantial 
church,  which  I  was  privileged  to  dedicate  to  God 
free  of  debt.  Pastor  E.  D.  Crane  had  labored  faith- 
fully and  was  rewarded  in  witnessing  the  success 
of  the  enterprise.  That  was  a  striking  instance  of 
God  making  the  'wrath  of  men  to  praise  Him.' '' 

During  the  months  of  May  and  June,  1805,  I  vis- 
ited the  Genesee  conference,  holding  a  quarterly 
meeting  on  each  of  the  five  districts.  I  was  warmly 
received  at  every  point  and  the  Holy  Spirit  was 
gracior.sly  outpoured  at  the  meetings.  I  found  that 
the  old  pillars  had  not  all  been  removed  and  primi- 
tive fire  had  not  been  entirely  extinguished  on  that 
historic  field.  In  some  localities,  however,  I  dis- 
covered that  the  church  had  yielded  to  a  feeling  of 
discouragement  and  a  new  inspiration  of  faith  and 
courage  was  greatly  needed.  One  thing  will  always 
give  it  —  a  Pentecostal  baptism.    Pentecostal  re- 


208 


LIFE  AXD  LABORS  OF 


vivals  are  greatly  needed.  More  culture  and  re- 
finement, greater  learning  and  eloquence,  without 
a  proportionate  increase  of  spritual  life  and  power, 
tend  only  to  formality  and  death. 

During  that  trip  I  visited  the  old  Kendall  home- 
stead at  Covington,  New  York,  where  W.  C.  Ken- 
dall was  born  and  reared;  also  the  cemetery  where 
his  remains  were  buried.  As  I  stood  beside  the 
grave  of  that  sainted  man  of  God,  I  was  inspired 
with  renewed  loyalty  to  the  God-honored  princi- 
ples for  which  he  so  heroically  contended.  Through 
his  influence  I  received  my  first  impressions  of 
moral  responsibility.  When  but  a  youth  the  spirit 
of  the  fathers  took  a  strong  hold  of  me,  and  that 
hold  has  steadily  strengthened  with  the  passing 
years.  And  viewing  the  matter  from  my  present 
standpoint,  at  the  age  of  sixty-three,  the  wealth  of 
the  world  would  not  induce  me  to  wish  it  other- 
wise. May  showers  of  grace  continue  to  fall  on 
that  important  field. 

June  7-13  was  spent  at  a  camp-meeting  in  Brant- 
ford,  Ontario,  Elder  J.  Craig  in  charge.  The  at- 
tendance was  large  and  the  interest  excellent.  It 
was  estimated  that  there  were  nearly  5,000  people 
present  on  KSunday,  and  a  deep  interest  was  shown 
in  all  the  services.  Such  a  meeting  was  entirely 
new  to  most  of  the  people  of  that  vicinity.  Al- 
though quite  a  number  were  saved  during  the  week, 
it  was  largely  a  time  of  seed-sowing.  Since  that 
time  the  work  has  been  greatly  strengthened  and 
a  commodious  church  erected.  I  have  since  been 
jjrivileged  to  preside  at  two  sessions  of  the  West 
Ontario  conference  held  at  that  place. 


BURTON  K.  JONES 


209 


June  14th  I  took  my  first  ride  down  Lake  Ontario 
from  Toronto  to  Kingston.  It  was  a  delightful 
trip.  I  spent  one  Sabbath  at  Verona,  preaching 
twice  to  large  and  interested  audiences.  I  was 
warmly  entertained  by  Brother  and  Sister  Burn- 
ham. 

On  arriving  at  Bracebridge,  Ontario,  June  19,  I 
found  the  camp-meeting  under  way  in  charge  of 
Elder  Sims.  I  was  entertained  at  the  pleasant 
home  of  Brother  J.  D.  Shire.  The  meeting  was 
quite  fruitful,  many  accepting  the  light  and  being 
made  free.  It  was  a  means  of  strength  to  the 
church  in  that  vicinity. 

On  the  whole  I  greatly  enjoyed  my  visit  to  the 
Canadian  field,  and  was  deeply  impressed  with  the 
thorough  type  of  Free  Methodism  I  found  there. 
A  more  devoted,  self-sacrificing,  God-fearing  class 
of  pilgrims  it  would  be  difficult  to  find. 

'On  July  24,  1895,  the  following  editorial  note 
appeared  in  The  Free  M ethodist : 

"On  Tuesday  evening,  July  16,  at  the  home  of 
Rev.  E.  P.  Hart,  1117  Park  avenue,  Alameda,  Cali- 
fornia, there  was  a  very  pleasant  gathering  of 
friends,  and  Rev.  Burton  R.  Jones  and  Miss  Helen 
M.  Hart  were  united  in  holy  matrimony  by  Rev. 
W.  D.  Bishop.  All  who  know  Brother  and  Sister 
Jones  will  wish  them  enduring  happiness  in  their 
new  relation,  and  will  hope  also  that  thereby  their 
usefulness  may  be  increased.  They  will  remain  on 
the  coast  until  August  1,  attend  a  tent-meeting  at 
Ogden,  August  3,  4,  and  reach  Canon  City,  Colo- 
rado, where  Brother  Jones  begins  his  tour  of  con- 
ferences, August  7." 


210 


LIFE  AND  LABORS  OF 


The  following  was  the  first  list  of  conferences 
over  which  I  presided  after  being  elected  general 
superintendent : 


Colorado,  Canon  City,  Col  Aug.  7 

West  Kansas,  Alma,  Neb   "  14 

Kansas,  Clay  Center,  Kansas   "21 

Missouri,  Albany,  Mo   "  28 

Arkansas  and  Southern  Missouri,  Fair  Play,  Mo... Sept.  4 

Central  Illinois,  Litchfield,  111   "  11 

Wabash,  Vincennes,  Ind   "  18 

Illinois,  St.  Charles,  111   "  25 

Indiana,  North,  Fort  Wayne,  Ind  Oct.  2 

Texas,  Dallas,  Texas   "  23 

Louisiana,  Hazelhurst,  Miss   "  30 


During  this  round  of  conferences  I  had  my  first 
experience  in  organizing  a  new  conference.  Of  that 
conference  I  made  the  following  brief  note:  "The 
Arkansas  and  Southern  Missouri  conference  was  or- 
ganized at  Fair  Plav,  Missouri,  September  1st.  This 
new  conference  starts  out  full  of  faith  and  courage, 
with  fair  prospects  of  steadily  increasing  pros- 
perity. Eleven  conference  preachers  were  given  ap- 
pointments and  four  local  preachers  employed  as 
supplies.  Many  of  our  people  in  that  locality  had 
never  before  attended  an  annual  conference,  and 
the  proceedings  were  watched  with  deep  interest. 
The  religious  services  were  attended  with  much  of 
the  presence  of  God,  and  the  occasion  was  one  of 
special  profit  to  the  young  ministers.  On  Sunday 
I  preached  twice,  ordained  one  elder  and  three  dea- 
cons, and  baptized  five  children  and  one  adult.  The 
pilgrims  are  humble  and  teachable,  and  with  wise 
leadership  there  is  a  promising  future  for  the  work 
in  the  new  conference." 


BURTON    R.  JONES 

180.-) 


BURTON  R.  JONES 


211 


The  following  report  which  appeared  in  The  Free 
Methodist  will  be  of  interest  to  the  reader  :  ''Sunday, 
October  20,  1895,  was  a  memorable  day  for  the 
Second  church  of  Chicago.  On  that  day  they 
reached  what  had  long  been  the  object  of  their 
hopes,  their  struggles  and  their  prayers.  Their  new 
church  was  dedicated  free  of  debt.  The  society  was 
organized  about  eight  years  ago  and  for  several 
years  held  their  meetings  in  a  hall,  gathering  and 
saving  money  each  year  for  the  purchase  of  a  church 
lot.  The  new  church  is  located  on  Lexington  street 
and  is  a  neat,  substantial  brick  structure. 

''The  day  of  dedication  was  favorable  in  every  way. 
W.  G.  Hanmer,  general  conference  evangelist, 
preached  in  the  morning.  General  Superintendent 
B.  R.  Jones  preached  the  dedicatory  sermon  at 
2:30.  B.  Winget,  the  missionary  secretary,  occu- 
pied the  evening  hour.  The  house  was  filled  in  the 
afternoon.  Brother  Jones'  sermon  from  'Worship 
the  Lord  in  the  beauty  of  holiness/  was  able,  elo- 
quent and  spiritual.  In  fifteen  minutes  |775  was 
pledged  to  clear  the  property  of  indebtedness.  The 
entire  cost  was  about  |6,500.  The  Sisters  Cureton 
and  their  brother  John  have  contributed  bounti- 
fully. S.  K.  J.  Chesbro  planned  and  managed  for 
them  most  skillfully,  besides  preaching  for  the 
church  for  several  years.  The  blessing  of  God  came 
at  all  the  services.  A  blessed  service,  at  which  the 
altar  was  filled  with  seekers,  marked  the  closing 
scene.  With  the  blessing  of  God,  this  church  will 
be  as  a  light  in  a  dark  place  in  the  city  of  Chicago, 
so  much  given  over  to  formality  and  wickedness. 

"W.  A.  Sellew/' 


212 


LIFE  AND  LABORS  OF 


Accompanied  by  Mrs.  J.,  October  20,  1895,  I  took 
train  for  my  conferences  in  Texas  and  Mississippi. 
This  was  our  first  trip  to  the  Southland,  and  a  few 
way-side  jottings  may  be  interesting  to  the  reader : 

"October  23. — We  awoke  on  Texas  soil  this  morn- 
ing. Reached  Ft.  Worth  at  7  :50  a.  m.  Made  close 
connection  for  Dallas,  arriving  at  9  :50  a.  m.  Met 
by  pastor  H.  V.  Haslam.  Conference  opened  at  two 
p.  m.  Good  spirit.  To-night  I  spoke  from  1  John 
2  :  3.    Several  seeking." 

Of  this  session  of  the  Texas  conference  the  sec- 
retary wrote  as  follows :  "The  sixteenth  annual 
session  was  held  at  Dallas,  Texas,  October  23-26, 
Superintendent  Jones  presiding.  The  sittings  of 
the  conference  were  harmonious  and  profitable.  The 
president  gave  us  three  able  and  spiritual  addresses 
on  our  work  as  ministers,  in  reference  to  both  the 
temporal  and  spiritual  interests  of  the  church,  in 
a  way  that  we  will  not  soon  forget;  and,  carried 
into  practise,  will  be  of  inestimable  value  to  the 
church.  A  number  were  converted  and  others  sanc- 
tified during  the  conference." 

"Ashley,  Mississippi,  October  31. — I  am  having 
a  blessed  time  with  the  pilgrims  in  Mississippi. 
God  has  some  chosen  ones  here.  Prospects  are  en- 
couraging for  this  part  of  the  Louisiana  confer- 
ence.   Am  entertained  at  the  home  of  Elder  Day." 

"November  1. — Only  four  short  sittings  were  re- 
quired to  complete  the  business.  The  conference 
being  small  and  the  business  light,  gave  more  time 
for  religious  services.  The  congregations  and  in- 
terest steadily  increased.  Earnest  seekers  were  at 
the  altar  at  every  opportunity  and  several  were 


BUKTOX  K.  JONES 


213 


brought  into  the  light — some  of  pardon,  others  of 
purity.  A  number  united  with  the  church.  Sun- 
day was  a  day  of  victory.  The  people  came  for 
miles  on  horses  and  mules  and  with  ox  teams.  I 
had  the  pleasure  of  baptizing  nineteen  children. 
Considering  the  strong  Baptist  sentiment  that  ex- 
ists in  this  region  the  baptism  of  so  many  children 
is  regarded  as  a  great  victory  for  our  Methodism. 
The  people  here  have  large  families,  and  if  our 
people  succeed  in  training  their  children  for  God 
it  is  thought  they  will  soon  be  able  to  'grow  a 
church/ 

"November  5. — Am  spending  a  few  days  in  the 
vicinity  of  Beasley  Chapel,  where  the  conference 
was  held.  God  is  honoring  our  people  here  in  their 
uncompromising  position  on  the  distinctive  issue 
of  Bible  holiness.  Multiplied  influences  have  com- 
bined to  obstruct  the  work.  The  Masonic  fraternity 
has  been  thoroughly  aroused.  Seven  prominent  Ma- 
sons, besides  a  number  of  members  of  the  minor  or- 
ders, have  renounced  the  lodge  and  united  with  the 
Free  Methodist  church.  This,  of  course,  brought 
against  the  church  a  tremendous  tide  of  opposition 
and  persecution,  in  which  the  popular  church,  in- 
cluding many  who  profess  and  preach  holiness, 
united  with  an  evident  determination  to  crush  out 
the  Free  Methodist  movement.  Prominent  church 
members  headed  mobs,  which  by  insults  and  threats 
and  flourishing  revolvers  at  public  meetings, 
sought  to  intimidate  the  servants  of  God.  One 
building  in  which  our  people  worshiped  and  a  tab 
ernacle,  were  burned,  and  the  pro^jerty  and  lives  of 
the  preachers  were  threatened,  but  to  no  avail. 


214 


LIFE  AND  LABORS  OF 


God's  hosts  were  not  to  be  repulsed  by  a  show  of 
fire-arms,  nor  by  the  smell  of  powder.  They  felt  the 
undergirding  of  Omnipotence  and  realized  that 
their  weapons  were  mighty  and  their  defense  im- 
penetrable. As  a  result  of  their  devotion  and  fi- 
delity public  sentiment  is  undergoing  a  radical 
change,  prejudice  is  giving  way,  and  the  people  are 
coming  to  look  upon  the  Free  Methodist  church 
as  the  most  consistent  representative  of  true  holi- 
ness that  has  ever  operated  in  this  field." 

"Sunday,  November  10. — Dedicated  New  Hope 
chapel  in  Simpson  county,  Mississii)pi.  The  erec- 
tion of  a  church  on  this  hotly  contested  battle- 
ground is  a  remarkable  token  of  divine  favor.  The 
introduction  of  our  work  here  has  improved  the 
community  at  least  a  hundred  per  cent.,  civilly,  in- 
tellectually, socially,  moralh',  and  in  every  good 
way.  Still  great  improvement  is  needed.  The  peo- 
ple of  this  country  are  in  fearful  darkness.  They 
must  be  enlightened  and  brought  to  Christ.  This 
Southland  offers  one  of  the  most  promising  mis- 
sionary fields  we  have  yet  entered." 

On  November  17,  1895,  we  began  a  ten  days'  meet- 
ing at  Ennis.  Texas,  H.  V.  Haslam,  pastor.  Much 
of  the  time  during  the  meeting  we  labored  under  a 
heavy  pressure.  Occasionally  the  clouds  would 
break  and  our  faith  claim  a  victory. 

On  the  20th  I  wrote :  "This  is  one  of  the  delight- 
ful days  of  the  Southland — clear,  sunny  and  warm. 
Yesterday  we  had  a  regular  'norther' — windy  and 
cold,  with  a  few  snowflakes,  the  first  of  the  sea- 
son, and  something  rarely  ever  seen  here  in  No- 
vember.   Water  froze  an  eighth  of  an  inch  last 


BURTON  K.  JONES 


215 


night.  But  nature  has  rallied  from  the  sudden  as- 
sault of  the  Northland,  and  to-day  one  would  hardly 
think  it  had  ever  stormed  here  or  even  been  cold. 
The  cold  snap  and  rain  broke  up  our  meeting  en- 
tirely. To-night  we  start  in  anew.  With  the  mer- 
cury down  to  thirty-five  degrees  above  zero  the  peo- 
ple think  it  entirely  out  of  question  to  go  to  church, 
and  they  just  will  not  go,  that  is  all  there  is  about 
it.  We  expect  to  remain  here  over  next  Sunday. 
I  am  to  speak  at  a  union  Thanksgiving  service  at 
the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church  South.  " 

After  a  few  weeks  labor  in  Texas  we  returned  to 
the  North,  making  headquarters  at  Greenville,  Illi- 
nois, the  greater  part  of  the  winter.  The  following 
is  my  first  annual  report  as  general  superintendent : 

"To  the  ministers  and  members  of  the  Free  Meth- 
odist Church,  greeting:  In  the  fear  of  God  I  en- 
tered upon  my  duties  as  general  superintendent 
immediately  after  adjournment  of  the  last  general 
conference;  not,  however,  without  serious  appre- 
hensions as  to  my  ability  to  render  acceptable  serv- 
ice to  the  church  in  the  responsible  position  to 
which  I  had  been  called.  During  the  year  I  have 
labored  within  the  bounds  of  nineteen  annual  con- 
ferences, as  follows: 

"Arkansas  and  Southern  Missouri,  one  week ;  Cali- 
fornia, three  weeks;  Canada,  three  weeks;  Central 
Illinois,  one  week;  Colorado,  two  weeks;  Genesee, 
eight  weeks;  Illinois,  ten  weeks;  Iowa,  two  weeks; 
Kansas,  one  week;  Louisiana,  one  week;  Michigan, 
two  weeks;  Missouri,  two  weeks;  North  Indiana, 
one  week;  North  Michigan,  two  weeks;  Ohio,  three 
weeks;  Pittsburg,  two  weeks;  Texas,  one  week;  Wa- 


21(J 


LIFE  AXD  LABORS  OF 


bash,  two  weeks;  West  Kansas,  one  week.  Miles 
traveled,  14,G95. 

'These  labors  include  regular  Sunday  appoint- 
ments filled  for  pastors,  special  Sunday  services, 
funerals,  x^rotracted  meetings,  ten  quarterly  meet- 
ings, four  camp-me€tings,  five  dedications  and 
eleven  annual  conferences.  A  large  per  cent,  of 
our  people  are  holding  closely  to  the  old  lines  and 
maintaining  with  unceasing  vigilance  the  sacred 
principles  which  gave  rise  to  our  denominational 
existence.  God  has  committed  a  sacred  trust  to 
the  Free  Methodist  church.  The  standard  of  Bible 
holiness  must  be  maintained.  If  the  Free  Method- 
ist church  keeps  consecrated  to  God.  humble  and 
devoted,  and  lives  where  the  stream  of  divine  life 
perpetually  rises  from  her  sacred  altars  and  flows 
through  the  hearts  of  her  ministry  and  membership, 
we  shall  show  far  more  aggressiveness,  record 
greater  victories  and  witness  the  salvation  of  many 
more  souls  during  the  next  thirty-five  years  than 
we  have  during  her  past  history." 


CHAPTER  XXVI. 


New-year's  day  of  ISDG  I  spent  at  our  temporary 
quarters  in  Greenville,  Illinois.  After  niy  round 
of  conferences  and  several  weeks  of  evangelistic 
labors  in  the  South  1  felt  the  need  of  a  short  'iay 
off."  And  rest  we  did  in  that  pleasant  college 
town  with  its  hallowed  associations. 

In  February  I  made  a  trip  to  South  Dakota  to 
assist  in  the  dedication  of  the  new  church  at  Beres- 
ford,  W.  A.  Meacham,  pastor.  The  society  there 
had  labored  under  many  seeming  discouragements, 
but  their  faith  remained  steady  and  they  were  per- 
mitted to  reap  the  fruits  of  their  labors.  The  serv- 
ices were  characterized  by  the  presence  of  the  Holy 
Spirit  and  the  seal  of  divine  approbation  was  set  upon 
the  efforts  of  God's  people  to  provide  a  place  where 
the  gospel  could  be  preached.  As  is  almost 
invariably  the  case  on  such  occasions,  when  the 
financial  burden  was  lifted  the  saints  rejoiced. 

A  telegram  from  Topeka,  Kansas,  announcing  the 
death  of  Darius  Tinkham,  was  received  May  10, 
1896.  Brother  Tinkham  was  well  known  through- 
out the  church  and  his  death  was  deeply  mourned. 
He  was  a  true  man  of  God  and  no  sacrifice  was  too 
great  for  him  to  make  in  support  of  the  cause  of 
Christ,  which  was  so  dear  to  him.  His  remarkable 
kindness  during  my  early  ministry  greatly  endeared 
him  to  me. 


217 


218 


LIFE  AND  LABORS  OF 


The  holiness  convention  at  Mt.  Carmel,  Illinois, 
May  21-24,  in  charge  of  Elder  D.  S.  Moore,  which 
I  was  permitted  to  attend,  was  a  very  profitable 
occasion.  There  was  a  good  attendance  of  minis- 
ters and  members  from  the  district  and  many  ex- 
pressed themselves  as  being  greatly  benefited.  Sev- 
eral backsliders  were  reclaimed,  others  were  sanc- 
tified and  the  church  greatly  strengthened  and  en- 
couraged. The  Sabbath  was  a  glorious  day.  Three 
services  were  held  in  the  church  and  one  from  the 
court-house  steps. 

So  far  as  my  observation  and  experience  have 
gone  such  gatherings  have  been  a  great  blessing 
to  our  work.  They  are  sure  to  be  of  lasting  bene- 
fit to  the  local  societies  where  they  are  held,  and 
those  who  gather  from  other  points  almost  invari- 
ably catch  new  fire  and  return  with  an  increased 
inspiration  for  the  work  of  God. 

A  startling  visitation  brought  great  confusion 
into  our  camp  at  Quincy,  Michigan,  August  6, 
1896.  Of  that  meeting  District  Elder  P.  E.  Vin- 
cent wrote  for  The  Free  Methodist:  "Our  camp- 
meeting  began  August  5th,  and  was  to  close  the 
12th.  On  the  second  day  of  the  meeting  a  tornado 
visited  that  section  of  the  country,  blowing  down 
several  large  trees  together  with  our  tabernacle. 
One  sister  was  struck  by  a  falling  tree  and  instantly 
killed.  The  district  elder  was  caught  under  the 
same  tree  but  not  seriously  injured.  A  few  others 
were  bruised  by  falling  limbs  and  broken  poles. 
Early  the  next  morning  the  neighbors  came  and 
helped  us  set  up  the  tabernacle.  The  meeting 
started  off  with  much  depression  of  spirit,  occa- 


BURTON  K.  JONES 


219 


sioned  by  the  sad  occurrence  of  the  previous  day. 
Brother  B.  R.  Jones  arrived  the  day  after  the  storm 
and  was  much  helped  of  the  Lord  in  preaching  the 
Word  to  us  over  the  Sabbath.  But  we  little  knew 
what  further  awaited  us.  About  three  p.  m.  on 
Monday  another  terrible  storm  swept  over  the 
camp,  tearing  down  trees  and  causing  general  dis- 
may. Four  tents  were  struck  but  no  person  was 
injured.  By  this  time  everything  was  in  such  a 
state  of  confusion  that  we  concluded  it  would  be 
useless  to  try  to  continue,  so  we  closed  the  meet- 
ing. To  us  this  seems  a  strange  providence,  but 
God's  plans  and  purposes  are  past  finding  out." 

By  invitation  of  Elder  Barnhart,  I  attended  the 
Bradford  district  camp-meeting  held  at  Port  Alle- 
gany, Pennsylvania,  July  1-8, 1896.  Of  that  gathering, 
A.  D.  Zahnizer  wrote :  ''The  meeting  was  decidedly  a 
success.  A  goodly  number  were  saved,  many  sanc- 
tified wholly  and  some  were  healed  of  bodily  dis- 
ease. Rev.  B.  R.  Jones  and  wife  were  with  us  and 
under  God  were  a  great  blessing.  The  sermon  Sab- 
bath morning  was  inspired  of  God.  Brother  Jones 
had  to  stop  and  allow  us  to  shout." 

Accompanied  by  Mrs.  J.,  I  began  my  round  of 
conferences  in  1896  with  the  North  Michigan,  held 
at  Clarksville,  August  12-16.  It  was  a  large  and  en- 
thusiastic gathering,  there  being  over  one  hundred 
well-filled  tents  on  the  ground.  The  vast  throng 
that  gathered  on  the  Sabbath  was  very  orderly  and 
attentive.  The  following  named  young  men  were 
ordained  elders :  W.  H.  Bodine,  F.  O.  Wyman,  J. 
E.  Sanders,  D.  D.  Hall,  F.  E.  Stowell,  F.  D.  Palmer, 
W.  Sherman.    These  were  promising  young  men, 


220 


LIFE  AND  LABORS  OF 


three  of  whom  have  since  been  district  elders  in 
the  conference. 

I  had  the  pleasure  of  presiding  at  my  home  con- 
ference that  year,  held  at  Jackson,  Michigan.  Al- 
though some  dissensions  had  arisen,  resulting  in 
the  withdrawal  of  several  preachers,  the  Lord 
brought  in  others  to  take  their  places  and  the  work 
went  steadily  on.  None  of  the  charter  members  of 
the  conference  remained  at  that  time. 

Out  of  the  original  Canada  conference  two  new 
conferences  were  organized — the  West  Ontario,  at 
Brantford,  and  the  East  Ontario,  at  Armadale. 
The  new  conferences  started  out  full  of  faith  and 
courage.  In  the  former,  W.  C.  Walls  and  J.  M. 
Eagle  were  the  district  elders,  and  A.  Sims  and 
James  Craig  of  the  latter.  Of  the  East  Ontario 
conference  the  secretary,  W.  H.  Wilson,  wrote: 
"The  session  passed  off  pleasantly.  The  Lord  was 
present  and  preachers  and  people  were  greatly 
blessed.  We  predict  a  year  of  salvation  for  the 
new  conference.  Much  credit  is  due  to  our  super- 
intendent. B.  R.  Jones,  for  the  able  manner  in 
which  the  business  of  the  conference  was  conducted 
and  we  shall  profit  by  his  fatherly  advice.  Our 
Canada  pilgrims  feel  quite  at  home  with  Brother 
and  Sister  Jones,  and  will  look  forward  with  pleas- 
ure to  their  return." 

It  was  with  considerable  misgiving  that  I  entered 
upon  my  round  of  conferences  in  the  East,  knowing 
that  there  I  would  meet  many  among  the  ministry 
who  were  older  and  more  experienced  in  the  work 
than  myself,  and  I  was  apprehensive  of  meeting 
more  or  less  criticism.    But  my  fears  were  soon  dis- 


BL'KTON   U.  JONES 


221 


pel  led  by  the  cordial  greetings  I  received  from  such 
good  brethren  as  Henry  Hornsby,  Levi  Wood,  W. 
Manning,  A.  H.  Bennett  and  others  of  the  Genesee 
conference,  and  A.  F.  Curry,  W.  H.  Clark,  H.  W. 
Fish,  T.  Whiffin  and  others  of  the  Susquehanna 
conference. 

The  latter  conference  convened  at  Rome,  New 
York,  Sei)tember  10th.  The  work  of  the  conference 
moved  off  harmoniously  and  the  religious  services 
were  excellent.  The  stationing  committee  was  com- 
posed of  seventeen  members,  it  being  larger  than 
some  whole  conferences.  Yet  the  appointments 
were  made  with  average  ease  and  satisfaction.  Of 
that  session  good  father  Zenas  Osborne  wrote  :  ''The 
session  of  the  Susquehanna  conference  just  closed 
was  the  best  we  have  had  in  a  number  of  years.  It 
began  heavenly  and  closed  with  a  mighty  wave  of 
glory.  I  think  every  preacher  was  blessed  of  the 
Lord  and  greatly  encouraged  to  enter  upon  the 
new  year,  feeling  that  it  would  be  a  year  of  glorious 
results.  Brother  Jones  presided  with  dignity,  cour- 
tesy and  in  love.  On  Sunday  he  was  specially 
helped  and  blessed,  which  was  a  grand  lesson  for  us 
preachers.  Some  preachers  never  get  blessed  out 
of  the  old  ruts.  In  some  places  our  work  does  not 
go  because  the  preachers  and  people  are  in  a  rut. 
What  is  needed  in  such  cases  is  a  mighty  baptism 
of  the  Holy  Ghost  and  fire.    It  can  be  had." 

Of  that  conference  I  made  the  following  note 
September  22d :  "All  hail,  old  Susquehanna!  One 
of  the  oldest  conferences  in  the  connection  is  still 
a  thing  of  life.  A  glorious  spirit  prevailed  through- 
out the  entire  session,  but  the  climax  came  on  Sun- 


222 


LIFE  AND  LABORS  OF 


day  when  the  Holy  Spirit  was  graciously  outpoured. 
From  early  dawn  until  late  at  night  a  pure,  heav- 
enly atmosphere  pervaded  the  place  where  the 
saints  were  assembled.  The  large  audiences  were 
deeply  impressed  with  the  manifestations  of  the  di- 
vine presence.  This  conference  has  a  goodly  num- 
ber of  promising,  devoted  young  men  who  are  con- 
secrated to  hold  to  the  old  landmarks  and  push  the 
work  along  the  uncompromising  line  of  the  gospel. 
We  shall  hail  with  pleasure  the  opportunity  of 
meeting  this  people  again.  The  Lord  be  with  them 
evermore." 

I  will  quote  further  from  my  journal : 

"Albion,  New  York,  September  27,  1896.— Have 
enjoyed  our  association  with  the  brethren  of  the 
Genesee  crnference  assembled  at  this  historic  place. 
The  preachers  appeared  to  go  to  their  fields  of  la- 
bor with  renewed  courage. 

"September  28. — Mrs.  J.  and  I  came  to  North 
Chili,  New  York,  to-day.  We  are  spending  a  few 
hours  very  pleasantly-  at  the  home  of  Professor  and 
Mrs.  B.  H.  Roberts,  who  have  the  faculty  of  mak- 
ing their  guests  feel  perfectly  at  home  in  their 
family.  This  is  our  first  visit  to  the  A.  M.  Ches- 
brough  Seminary,  and  we  are  very  favorably  im- 
pressed with  the  school  and  its  surroundings.  The 
advantages  and  associations  of  this  institution  are 
of  a  character  that  recommend  it  to  all  who  de- 
sire to  place  their  sons  and  daughters  where  they 
can  acquire  a  thorough  education  under  the  most 
wholesome  Christian  influences. 

"September  29. — We  met  the  students  at  chapel 
exercises  this  morning  where  Mrs.  J.  and  I  made 


Bl'KTON  It.  JONES 


223 


short  addresses.  It  was  deeply  impressive  to  looli 
into  tlie  bright  faces  of  so  many  promising  young 
men  and  young  women.  A  thorough  si)iritual  tone 
characterized  the  services,  which  fact  promises 
most  favorably  for  the  future  of  our  church  work. 
For  students  to  get  blest  at  chapel  exercises  and 
shout  aloud  the  praises  of  God  would  seem  entirely 
out  of  order  at  most  educational  institutions,  but 
it  is  perfectly  in  order  at  Chesbrough  Seminary. 
The  entire  faculty  is  in  line  with  the  Spirit,  and 
none  need  fear  to  place  their  children  under  the 
care  of  such  devoted  teachers.  Long  live  Ches- 
brough Seminary,  and  may  it  ever  hold  closely  to  the 
godly  ideals  of  its  now  sainted  founder." 

On  October  27,  1896,  Mrs.  J.  and  I  started  for 
Los  Angeles,  California,  arriving  on  the  31st.  We 
were  met  by  Brother  E.  C.  Shipley  and  conveyed 
to  his  restful  home. 

While  at  Los  Angeles  the  sad  news  of  the  death 
of  Rev.  O.  O.  Bacon  reached  us.  Brother  B.  was 
one  among  the  few  who  took  a  decided  stand  in  de- 
fense of  original  Methodism  in  Western  New  York 
in  the  early  sixties.  He  was  pastor  on  Greigsville 
circuit  soon  after  my  conversion,  and  his  faithful, 
earnest  preaching  did  much  to  strengthen  and  es- 
tablish me  in  the  true  faith. 

The  Southern  California  conference  was  held  at 
Santa  Ana,  beginning  November  4th.  Present  among 
the  ministers  were  Brothers  Ebey,  Leonardson,  Mc- 
Leod,  Shepard,  Roberts  and  others.  The  confer- 
ence was  small  but  a  good  spirit  prevailed.  Of  the 
conference  session  Brother  McLeod,  the  secretary, 
wrote:    "The  conference  has  given  encouragement 


224 


LIFE  AND  LABORS  OF 


to  the  work,  and  it  is  our  prayer  that  we  may 
have  many  more  of  the  same  kind.  A  number 
sought  the  Lord,  many  of  whom  obtained  the  ex- 
perience they  sought.  The  preachers  start  out  full 
of  courage  and  the  outlook  is  glorious.  We  were 
delighted  with  Brother  Jones'  preaching  and  excel- 
lent talks  to  the  preachers.'' 

At  San  Jose  we  met  with  the  California  confer- 
ence, Xovember  11th.  We  were  kindly  entertained 
at  the  parsonage,  Rev.  G.  W.  Griffith,  pastor.  The 
conference  passed  off  pleasantly  and  the  appoint- 
ments were  quite  satisfactory.  From  the  seat  of 
conference  Brother  H.  L.  Kibby  brought  us  to  his 
home  where  we  enjoyed  a  quiet  rest.  November  17 
Brother  K.  gave  us  a  seventeen-mile  ride  through 
a  delightful  country  to  Palo  Alto,  where  we  spent 
a  few  days  at  the  home  of  our  brother-in-law, 
Charles  W.  Jones. 

''Alameda,  California,  November  21,  1896. — 
Came  here  to-day.  We  have  had  a  refreshing  sea- 
son with  the  California  conferences.  The  ministers 
are  renewed  in  faith  and  courage  for  the  work  of 
the  Lord.  We  have  been  graciously  sustained  dur- 
ing our  round  of  conferences,  but  we  welcome  a 
few  weeks'  needed  rest.  We  are  now  at  Father 
Hart's  and  expect  to  spend  the  winter  months 
on  the  Pacific  coast.'' 

I  will  add  a  few  thoughts  taken  from  my  annual 
report:  ''The  conferences  which  I  attended  this 
year  were  seasons  of  blessed  harmony  and  rich  in 
the  varied  manifestations  of  the  Holy  Spirit.  1 
discovered  no  disposition  among  the  ministry  to 
proscribe  the  liberties  of  the  saints  or  restrict  the 


BURTON  II.  JOXP^S 


225 


Spirit's  operations.  This  is  a  hopeful  indication. 
Free  Methodism  can  never  be  worked  in  a  strait- 
jacket.  She  wasn't  born  that  way.  Put  on  the 
straps,  tone  the  church  down  to  the  level  of  the 
nations  around  her  and  the  death  knell  will  soon 
be  heard." 

The  holiness  conventions  which  I  was  privileged 
to  attend  were  productive  of  much  visible  good. 
While  not  involving  as  great  expense  as  camp-meet- 
ings the  results  were  even  greater  than  at  the  aver- 
age camp-meeting.  In  my  judgment  it  would  be  a 
f?;:'eat  inspiration  to  the  church  if  more  services  were 
held  for  the  special  promotion  of  the  work  of  holi- 
ness. Such  occasions  bring  together  many  who, 
amid  unfavorable  surroundings  and  under  the 
pressure  of  the  wwldliness  and  formality  of  the 
popular  churches,  have  become  well-nigh  discour- 
aged, and  are  in  need  of  the  encouragement  which 
is  sure  to  come  at  such  gatherings.  The  fact  that 
the  Free  Methodist  church  is  a  holiness  church  and 
aims  to  make  every  meeting  practically  a  holiness 
meeting  is  no  reason  for  not  holding  services  in 
which  special  attention  is  given  to  the  doctrine  of 
experimental  and  practical  holiness.  Our  people 
need  to  keep  their  experiences  bright  and  their  tes- 
timonies clear  and  keen  on  this  line.  God  has 
called  us  to  make  a  specialty  of  the  work  of  holi- 
ness, and  to  slacken  our  pace  is  perilous  to  our 
every  interest. 


CHAPTER  XXVII. 


The  first  record  in  my  journal  for  1897  was  made 
at  Palo  Alto,  California,  the  seat  of  Stanford  Uni- 
versity : 

''January  1. — The  new  year  dawns  most  delight- 
fully. This  is  one  of  California's  most  lovely  morn- 
ings. Since  in  God's  good  providence  my  life  is 
still  prolonged,  I  conclude  my  work  is  not  yet  fin- 
ished. May  I  have  grace  and  wisdom  for  greater 
efficiency  in  m}'  calling  the  coming  year  than  during 
any  year  of  my  past  life.'' 

''Sunday,  January  3. — By  invitation  of  the  pas- 
tor I  preached  in  the  Methodist  Episcopal  church 
this  morning.  Had  some  liberty  and  I  trust  the 
Holy  Spirit  accompanied  the  word  to  some  open 

hearts.    Heard  a  good  orthodox  sermon  at  the  

church  to-night.  Not  much  of  the  Holy  Spirit  dis- 
cernible. The  popular  pulpit  seems  so  void  of  spir- 
itual life  and  power.  Religion  is  made  a  matter,  of 
the  intellect  almost  entirely  while  the  heart  remains 
unmoved  and  unsatisfied." 

We  held  several  meetings  within  the  California 
conference.  Ten  days  were  spent  profitably  with 
the  church  at  Oakdale,  fifteen  days  at  San  Jose, 
four  days  at  Corralitos,  and  several  days  at  Ala- 
meda with  F.  H.  Horton,  pastor.  The  church  at 
each  point  received  strength  and  encouragement. 
There  is  fearful  indifference  among  the  people  on 

226 


BUKTON  K.  JONES 


227 


that  coast  respecting  anything  like  thorough  gos- 
pel work.  The  masses  are  not  favorably  disposed 
toward  a  religion  that  interferes  with  worldly 
fashions,  secret  societies,  card-playing,  theater-go- 
ing, dancing,  and  such-like  worldly  amusements. 
Very  rarely  does  a  pastor  of  any  of  the  popular 
churches  raise  his  voice  against  any  of  these  world- 
ly innovations. 

The  Free  Methodist  church  there,  as  elsewhere, 
maintains  a  consistent  position  against  those  mul- 
tiplied forms  of  worldliness,  and  her  influence  is 
deeply  felt. 

On  March  18,  1897,  I  bade  Mrs.  J.  good-by  at 
Oakland  Pier  and  started  on  my  round  of  appoint- 
ments in  the  great  Pacific  Northwest.  What  a 
wonderful  country!  On  the  21st  I  arrived  at  Eu- 
gene, Oregon,  where  I  had  engaged  to  assist  Elder 
B.  F.  Smalley  in  a  district  quarterly  meeting.  Al- 
though never  having  met  the  Oregon  pilgrims  be 
fore,  I  felt  perfectly  at  home  with  them  at  the  first 
service.  It  was  evident  that  God  dwelt  with  His 
people  there.  Sunday  was  a  blessed  day  to  the 
saints.  The  Holy  Ghost  wrought  graciously 
through  His  people.  The  Word  was  received  with  a 
relish  and  evident  appreciation  that  made  it  a  pleas- 
ure to  preach.  Many  outside  the  church  were  free 
to  acknowledge  that  God  honors  the  Free  Methodist 
people  for  their  uncompromising  position  on  all 
moral  issues. 

Continuing  my  journey  for  645  miles  brought  me 
to  Colville,  Washington,  about  twenty  miles  from 
the  British  Columbia  line,  March  27th.  At  Colville 
I  found  a  small  society  with  their  faithful  pastor. 


228 


LIFE  AND  LABOIIS  OF 


S.  P.  Hale,  struggling  to  establish  the  work  of  God 
amid  many  unfavorable  surroundings.  By  perse- 
vering effort  a  neat  church  had  been  erected  and 
nearly  paid  for.  Elder  J.  C.  Scott  was  on  hand 
to  contribute  his  part  toward  the  success  of  the 
occasion.  Unfavorable  weather  and  the  near  ap- 
proach of  the  annual  conference  served  to  reduce 
the  attendance  from  abroad.  But  the  Lord  Je- 
hovah met  with  us,  and  a  good  Sf^irit  prevailed  in 
the  services.  A  great  burden  of  anxiety  was  lifted 
from  the  hearts  of  the  pilgrims  on  Sunday  when 
the  last  dollar  of  indebtedness  was  provided  for 
and  the  church  dedicated  to  God. 

The  last  of  March  I  made  my  first  official  visit 
to  the  Columbia  River  conference,  held  at  Colfax, 
Washington.  Colfax  was  then  a  city  of  about 
2.500  inhabitants,  and  lies  in  a  narrow  canyon  be- 
tween the  foot-hills  of  the  Blue  Mountains.  The 
city  was  over  a  mile  long  and  about  two  squares 
wide.  A  n:ain  street  extended  u])  and  down  the 
canyon,  on  either  side  of  which  were  business  blocks, 
while  the  residences  extended  up  on  the  hillsides, 
thus  affording  some  delightful  views  to  the  resi- 
dents. 

I  found  that  conference  to  be  a  body  of  life — 
healthy,  vigorous,  aggressive. 

The  Washington  and  Oregon  conferences  were 
seasons  of  inspiration  to  those  present.  One  year 
before  the  Oregon  and  Washington  conference  was 
dissolved  to  form  three  new  conferences.  The  sal- 
vation tide  ran  high  at  those  gatherings,  and  at 
times  did  not  subside  until  long  after  the  congrega- 
tions were  dismissed.    The  fog  and  mist  of  doubt 


BURTON  R.  JONES 


229 


and  uncertainty  were  swept  away  by  the  illumina- 
tion of  the  divine  presence.  Those  northwest  con- 
ferences are  feeling  the  godly  influence  of  Seattle 
Seminary.  The  young  people  who  have  been  and 
are  being  educated  there  give  promise  of  becom- 
ing bright  lights  in  the  church. 

On  June  28,  1897,  we  took  our  leave  of  the  Pa- 
cific coast.  A  journey  of  280  miles  over  the  moun- 
tains and  across  the  Great  American  Desert 
brought  us  to  Ogden,  Utah,  where  we  had  engaged 
to  assist  in  a  camp-meeting. 

On  our  arrival  we  found  the  camp-meeting  fully 
under  way  with  nearly  every  Free  Methodist  in 
Utah  in  attendance.  G.  W.  Wheelon,  the  faithful, 
self-sacrificing  district  elder,  was  in  charge.  W. 
W.  Jellison,  conference  evangelist,  and  H.  Bon- 
durant,  pastor  at  Salt  Lake  City,  were  present  as 
laborers.  I  spent  five  days  at  this  meeting,  preach 
ing  from  two  to  three  times  a  day.  God  was  with 
us  and  a  most  excellent  spirit  prevailed.  The  meet- 
ing was  located  in  the  midst  of  Mormons  who 
are  an  exceedingly  diflicult  people  to  reach  with 
the  gospel.  While  the  meeting  did  not  appear  to 
get  a  very  strong  hold  upon  many  outside  the  church 
a  good  and  much-needed  work  was  done  among  our 
people.  A  number  were  sanctified  wholly,  while 
the  tried  and  true  ones  were  confirmed  in  their 
convictions  that  God  has  called  the  Free  Method- 
ists to  maintain  the  Bible  standard  of  holiness 
in  opposition  to  the  formalism  and  pride  and  idola- 
try of  the  worldly  churches. 

Our  people  in  Utah  have  difficulties  to  encounter 
peculiar  to  that  field  alone.    Mormonism  is  the 


230 


ITFE  AND  LABORS  OF 


prevailing  religion  and  has  a  very  debasing  effect 
on  the  morals  of  society.  Profound  ignorance  re- 
garding vital  godliness  prevails  and  the  pure  gos- 
pel seems  to  produce  little  effect  upon  the  preju- 
dices and  superstitions  of  those  who  are  educated 
under  this  corrupt  system. 

Before  leaving  Ogden,  by  kindness  of  Brother 
Wheelon.  we  were  treated  to  an  eight-mile  ride  up 
the  Ogden  canyon,  the  ''Royal  Gorge''  of  Utah. 
Through  this  canyon  flows  the  Ogden  river  in  its 
course  toward  the  Great  Salt  Lake.  Along  that 
delightful  drive  we  were  awed  by  the  marvelous  ex- 
hibitions of  the  handiwork  of  the  Great  Architect 
of  the  universe.  The  beauteous  grandeur  of  the 
cloud-tipped  cliffs,  the  little  rivulet  falling  from 
the  top  of  an  almost  perpendicular  mountain  over 
a  thousand  feet  high,  the  rushing,  turbulent  waters 
of  the  river  and  the  wonderful  scenic  views  inter- 
est the  visitor  beyond  description. 

July  9-14,  1897,  we  spent  at  a  camp-meeting  in  a 
beautiful  grove  on  the  bank  of  the  Arkansas  river, 
among  the  foothills  of  the  Rocky  Mountain  range, 
near  Howard,  Colorado.  We  were  at  an  altitude 
of  7,000  feet,  making  it  necessary  for  those  who 
were  not  accustomed  to  living  so  near  the  skies  to 
control  their  exercises  somewhat.  The  ground  was 
difficult  to  reach  even  by  the  few  families  who  were 
settled  among  the  hills.  About  three  hundred  peo- 
pie  were  in  attendance  on  Sunday,  which,  it  was 
said,  comprised  nearly  the  whole  population  with- 
in a  radius  of  eight  or  ten  miles.  The  twelve  or 
fourteen  preachers  present  composed  the  larger 
part  of  some  of  the  week-day  congregations.  In 


BURTON  K.  JONES 


231 


the  absence  of  the  district  elder  the  management 
of  the  meeting  fell  upon  the  pastor,  J.  W.  Mar- 
shall. A  few  were  reclaimed,  some  wholly  sanc- 
tified and  the  class  in  that  vicinity  for  whose  bene- 
fit, largely,  the  meeting  was  held,  was  greatly  en- 
couraged. Some  who  came  on  the  ground  under 
heavy  pressure  went  away  shouting  the  victory. 

On  July  16th  we  reached  the  camp-ground  at  Den- 
ver where  we  found  Elder  J.  F.  Garrett  in  charge 
and  the  meeting  starting  out  in  the  Spirit.  That 
was  the  largest  camp-meeting  ever  held  by  our  peo- 
ple in  Colorado  up  to  that  time.  The  services  were 
all  interesting,  spiritual  and  i)rofitable.  Our  short 
visit  at  that  meeting  was  very  pleasant  to  us. 

The  West  Iowa  conference,  held  at  Danbury, 
Iowa,  August  2.5-29,  was  a  refreshing  season.  An 
aggressive  spirit  characterized  every  movement. 
That  was  my  first  official  visit  to  the  conference 
and  the  new  acquaintances  formed  were  very  agree- 
able. The  new  church  was  dedicated  at  the  Sun- 
day morning  service  amid  shouts  of  holy  triumph. 
F.  H.  Smith,  pastor  at  Danbury,  had  taken  the 
work  two  and  one-half  years  before,  and  from  a 
very  small  beginning  he  had  raised  up  a  prosperous 
circuit  and  built  a  church  and  parsonage.  T.  H. 
Allen  and  F.  H.  Wilson  were  elected  district  elders, 
and  all  started  out  to  their  new  fields  full  of  faith 
for  a  year  of  salvation. 

The  following  report  of  the  South  Dakota  con- 
ference, given  by  the  town  paper,  shows  the  high 
esteem  in  which  the  church  at  Wessington  Springs 
was  held  by  the  leading  citizens  of  the  community: 

"The  South  Dakota  conference  of  the  Free  Meth- 


232 


LIFE  AND  LABORIS  OF 


odist  church  closed  its  fifteenth  annual  session  at 
this  place  last  Sunday  evening,  October  10th.  The 
session  convened  last  Wednesday  with  General  Su- 
perintendent 13.  K.  Jones  in  the  chair.  Six  busi 
ness  sittings  were  held.  Religious  services  were 
conducted  in  the  Seminary  chapel  and  were  at- 
tended by  large  congregations.  The  sermons  of  the 
superintendent  were  on  the  old-fashioned  Methodist 
line  and  the  meetings  were  characterized  by  Pente- 
costal power.  Some  were  converted  and  others  en- 
tirely sanctifie-1.  The  Sunday  evening  service  closed 
at  midnight  after  three  hours  of  altar  service  an<l 
general  rejoicing — -walking  the  lloor,  leaping  and 
praising  God.  The  people  of  the  country  around 
testified  to  their  appreciation  of  the  school,  the 
conference  session  and  the  religious  services  by 
turning  out  en  masse. 

''This  conference  although  yet  young,  seems  to  be 
of  healthy  growth.  It  is  manned  by  spiritual, 
well-informed,  consecrated  and  thoroughly  aggres- 
sive men.  Their  report  on  reforms  indicates  the 
purest  intentions  for  the  moral  and  religious  wel- 
fare of  the  state." 

November  20th,  the  re-dedication  of  the  church  at 
Birmingham,  Iowa,  took  place.  Of  that  occasion 
I  made  the  following  note  in  my  diary :  "About 
twenty-five  years  ago  the  original  house  was  dedi- 
cated by  Rev.  Joseph  Travis.  Brother  J.  G.  Terrill 
and  others  now  in  heaven  were  present  at  that  time. 
The  true  standard  has  been  maintained,  and  my 
prayer  is  that  there  may  be  no  departure  from  the 
old  landmarks  for  all  time  to  come." 


CHAPTER  XXVIII. 


On  May  4,  1897,  the  editor  of  The  Free  Methodist, 
Rev.  W.  T.  Hofijue,  issued  a  special  historical  num- 
ber which  was  ably  prepared  and  proved  to  be  very 
interesting  and  valuable.  It  was  highly  appreci- 
ated by  the  church.  Able  and  interesting  articles 
were  contributed  by  several  who  had  been  connected 
with  the  paper  in  various  stages  of  it^'  history,  and 
by  others  who  were  prominent  in  building  up  our 
denominational  interests.  Having  served  one  term 
as  editor  of  the  paper  I  was  kindly  invited  to  fur 
nish  an  article  for  the  special  number,  which  I 
gladly  did,  writing  by  request  of  the  editor  on  the 
subject,  ''Editorial  Reminiscences,"  as  follows : 

In  the  events  of  one's  life  the  unexpected  often  occurs. 
My  life  has  been  attended  with  a  succession  of  surprises. 
My  conversion  was  a  wonder  to  many,  but  to  none  more  so 
than  to  myself.  My  call  to  the  ministry  was  as  startling 
as  a  clap  of  thunder  out  of  a  clear  sky.  After  twenty-three 
years  of  active  labor  in  the  itineracy  of  the  Free  Method- 
ist church,  the  year  1890  held  in  reserve  for  me  another 
of  the  surprises  of  my  life. 

The  embarrassment  occasioned  by  my  election  to  the  edi- 
torship of  The  Free  Methodist,  together  with  a  conscious 
unfitness  for  such  an  important  work,  rendered  me  decid- 
edly uncomfortable  for  some  time.  The  first  night  aftei- 
my  election  was  spent  in  tossing  upon  my  bed,  alternating 
between  a  decision  to  offer  my  resignation  and  earnest 
wrestling  in  prayer  for  divine  help  in  that  my  time  of  spe- 
cial need.    When  I  thought  of  the  position  to  which  I  was 


233 


234 


LIFE  AND  LABORS  OF 


called.  I  felt  honored;  when  I  thought  of  my  inability,  I 
felt  humbled.  With  serious  apprehensions  I  decided  to 
enter  upon  the  work  to  which  the  church  through  its  chosen 
representatives  had  called  me.  I  was  conscious  of  having 
committed  all  my  ways  and  interests  to  God,  would  not 
knowingly  depart  from  His  counsel,  and  felt  confident 
that  He  would  strengthen  me  for  my  added  responsibilities. 

At  the  adjournment  of  the  sitting  of  conference  at 
which  my  election  took  place  I  received  warm  congratula- 
tions from  many  of  the  good  brethren.  This  was  a  source 
of  encouragement  to  me.  I  soon  discovered,  however,  that 
congratulations  were  not  to  greet  me  at  every  turn.  Be- 
fore leaving  the  building  I  was  assured  that  national  poli- 
tics must  be  taken  into  consideration  while  adopting  my 
policy  for  the  future.  A  self-appointed  delegation  ap- 
proached me  with  deep  solemnity,  and  inquired : 

"Are  you  a  Republican?" 

"Why  do  you  ask  that  question?"  I  replied. 

"Because  we  desire  to  know  what  position  you  intend 
to  take  toward  the  Prohibition  party  people  in  the  church," 
was  the  answer. 

I  said  in  substance,  "Their  rights  and  views  shall  be 
duly  respected.  While  I  do  not  understand  that  I  have 
been  elected  to  edit  a  political  paper  yet  I  shall  be  glad 
to  have  the  Temperance  department  of  the  paper  well  sup- 
plied with  good  articles  on  Prohibition.  Send  on  your  best 
and  strongest." 

The  delegation  turned  away  with  the  sad  lamentation, 
"Well,  we  are  doomed  to  another  four  years  of  Republican 
administration."  For  a  few  weeks  articles  poured  in 
warmly  advocating  the  Prohibition  party  and  denouncing 
the  old  political  parties  in  the  strongest  terms.  In  due 
time  the  articles  appeared  in  Tlie  Free  Methodist.  Soon 
the  supply  was  exhausted,  and  it  was  with  difficulty  that  I 
could  get  original  matter  enough  to  supply  that  department 
of  the  paper.  Human  nature  is  true  to  itself.  When  one 
is  opposed  in  any  given  thing  how  badly  he  wants  to  do 
it,  but  when  oi  position  ceases  he  is  not  nearly  so  anxious 
about  it. 


BURTON  K.  JONES 


235 


The  well-known  ability  of  my  eminent  predecessor,  Rev. 
B.  T.  Roberts,  ns  an  author  and  editor  served  to  increase 
my  embarrassment.  But  he  kindly  consented  to  furnish 
editorials  for  a  few  weeks  after  general  conference  ad- 
journed, and  thus  give  me  an  opportunity  to  prepare  a 
"Salutatory,"  adjust  myself  to  the  editorial  chair  the  best 
I  could,  and  settle  down  to  my  new  duties. 

Only  a  few  issues  were  retiuired  to  arouse  some  of  the 
able  critics  who  evidently  were  in  waiting  for  a  victim. 
In  my  '"Salutatory"  I  had  said,  "All  kindly  criticism  will 
be  earefully  considered,"  and  that  of  course  opened  the 
way.  Be  it  known  the  criticisms  poured  in,  but  how  "kind- 
ly" they  were  I  will  not  presume  to  state. 

One  of  my  first  and  greatest  embarrassments  after  be- 
ing fully  inducted  into  office  grew  out  of  the  necessity  which 
I  felt  of  declining  to  publish  certain  articles  furnished 
by  leading  men  in  the  church — articles  which  I  was  satis- 
fied the  parties  themselves  would  not  have  published  at 
that  time  had  they  been  in  my  position.  I  soon  discovered 
that  in  the  management  of  a  church  paper  the  editor  must 
often  render  decisions  contrary  to  the  judgment  of  many 
of  his  good  brethren,  inasmuch  as  there  is  always  such  a 
variety  of  opinions  on  all  important  questions  that  arise. 
To  give  universal  satisfaction  is  quite  as  difficult  for  an 
editor  as  for  a  minister.  I  soon  despaired  of  that,  and, 
becoming  familiar  with  the  road  to  the  waste  basket, 
learned  the  art  of  depositing  critical,  fault-finding  docu- 
ments where  they  would  cause  me  no  further  trouble. 

It  was  my  aim  to  furnish  a  purely  Free  Methodistic 
paper — a  paper  adapted  to  the  needs  of  the  church  it  was 
expected  to  represent.  Occasionally  some  good  brother 
would  warn  me  against  what  he  regarded  as  a  departure 
from  the  "old  landmarks,"  urging  me  to  keep  the  paper 
clean  and  spiritual.  Another  would  give  expression  to  the 
feeling  that  the  paper  was  "so  religious"  that  he  was  los- 
ing interest  in  it.  He  thought  more  space  should  be  given 
to  the  consideration  of  the  "topics  of  the  times."  Thus  it 
came  and  went,  and  I  continued  in  my  purpose  to  make  a 
live,  salvation  paper. 


23G 


LIFE  AND  LABORS  OF 


At  the  time  I  assumed  the  editorship  of  The  Free  Meth- 
odist certain  factious  elements  within  the  bounds  of  the 
church  were  at  the  height  of  their  influence.  This  added 
greatly  to  my  embarrassment.  To  conduct  affairs  with 
"charity  for  all  and  malice  toward  none"  required  special 
divine  guidance.  While  defending  the  church  against  what 
I  regarded  as  unrighteous  assaults  from  insubordina^te 
factions  within  her  folds  I  was  severely  censured  by  the 
leaders  of  those  factions,  and  warned  that  if  I  did  not 
change  my  course  the  Lord  would  take  me  out  of  the  way. 
But  I  did  my  duty  in  the  fear  of  God,  and  am  still  on  the 
field. 

The  discussion  of  the  ordination  of  women  during  the 
last  two  years  of  my  term  subjected  me  to  considerable 
criticism.  One  would  complain  that  I  was  unfair  in  pub- 
lishing too  much  on  a  certain  side  of  the  quesition.  and 
arother  would  charge  that  too  great  a  proportion  of  the 
articles  publis-hed  bore  on  the  other  side  of  the  question  ; 
v.hile  still  r.ncther  brought  up  the  rear  by  declaring  that 
such  was  my  unfairness  in  the  matter  tha't  if  the  ordina- 
tion question  should  be  defeated  at  the  general  conference 
I  would  be  held  responsible  for  it. 

Such  instances,  however,  ^vere  the  exceptions  rather 
than  the  rule,  I  was  the  recipient  of  many  warm  letters 
of  encouragement  and  assurances  of  appreciation.  My  as- 
sociations dur'ng  the  four  years  of  my  editorial  work  were 
of  the  most  pieasant  character.  My  relations  to  our  faith- 
ful office  editor,  our  genial  publisher,  clerks,  compositors, 
and  all  connected  with  the  publishing  house,  were  not  dis- 
turbed by  a  single  jar.  "Brotherly  love"  continued.  Re- 
flections on  those  four  important  years  of  my  life  and  la- 
bors will  ever  be  attended  with  the  most  pleasant  memories. 

In  1897  I  was  privileged  to  preside  at  the  organ- 
ization of  the  North  Dalvota  conference.  Eight 
preacliers  in  full  connection  were  enrolled.  Some 
who  were  identified  with  the  work  at  that  time  have 
since  fallen  out  by  the  way,  while  others  have  re- 
mained true  and  faithful  and  are  still  contending 


BURTON  R.  JONES 


237 


for  the  faith  amid  somewhat  discouraging  condi- 
tions. God  honors  true  faith  and  loyalty.  Obsta- 
cles must  disappear  before  the  man  who  has  a 
fixed  purpose,  a  mission,  a  calling  to  do  that  which 
he  feels  a  throbbing  conviction  within  him  to  do. 

Near  the  close  of  1807  I  dedicated  a  little  chapel 
near  my  mother's  home  in  Michigan.  Pastor  Har- 
tle  and  Brother  Cappy  and  son  had  labored  faith- 
fully for  the  success  of  the  enterprise  and  were 
richly  rewarded. 

With  the  following  note  from  my  journal  I  will 
close  the  record  of  the  year : 

''Chicago,  December  31,  1897.  —  With  this  day 
closes  the  record  of  another  year.  It  is  easy  to  see 
where  wiser  plans  more  faithfully  executed  would 
have  produced  greater  and  more  satisfactory  re- 
sults, but  having  done  the  best  I  knew^  all  matters 
should  be  left  with  Him  who  overrules  all  things 
to  His  own  glory.  I  rest  in  the  Infinite  will,  know- 
ing that  the  past  is  under  the  blood  and  my  future 
is  at  His  control.  Amen.  Farewell  Old  Year,  you 
have  been  kind  to  me.'' 


CHAPTER  XXIX. 


By  invitation  of  Elder  J.  D.  Marsh,  of  the  Illi- 
nois conference,  I  spent  twelve  days  on  his  districts, 
of  which  I  made  the  following  notes : 

''February  11-13,  1898,  I  spent  with  the  church 
at  Kempton,  F.  M.  Campbell,  pastor.  Here  I  found 
the  work  much  revived  as  a  result  of  six  weeks' 
protracted  effort  by  the  pastor.  A  number  had 
been  saved  and  added  to  the  church.  Sunday  was  a 
profitable  day  to  us  all.  Three  young  ladies  gave 
evidence  of  being  soundly  converted  at  the  morn- 
ing service,  one  of  them  having  been  a  church  mem- 
ber for  eight  years,  but  never  before  having  expe- 
rienced a  change  of  heart.  That,  of  course,  created 
some  commotion  among  her  associates  in  the  world- 
ly church.  Five  souls  were  converted  and  two 
wholly  sanctified  during  our  stay  at  Kempton. 

^'Monday,  the  14th,  I  visited  the  church  at  Fair- 
bury.  Here  I  found  the  revival  spirit  at  high  tide. 
The  church,  quite  as  large  as  Free  Methodist 
churches  average,  was  literally  packed  with  inter- 
ested people,  many  more  being  unable  to  get  in. 
This  was  said  to  be  a  nightly  occurrence.  Long 
before  the  hour  for  service  the  people  would  fall 
in  line  on  the  sidewalk  awaiting  the  opening  of  the 
church.  The  worldly  churches  taxed  their  inge- 
nuity in  providing  a  variety  of  entertainments,  evi- 
dently to  divert  attention  from  those  "out-of-date 


BURTON  11.  JONES 


239 


Free  Methodists,"  but  to  no  purpose.  The  crowds 
continued  to  throng  the  phice  where  God  met  with 
His  people.  Over  titty  had  professed  conversion 
and  twenty-five  had  united  with  the  church.  Those 
who  had  been  standing  by  the  work  of  (lod  in  Fair- 
bury  for  years  were  greatly  encouraged. 

"Thursday,  the  17th,  1  visited  the  church  at 
Peoria,  B.  1).  Fay,  pastor.  The  night  was  rainy, 
but  the  commodious  audience  room  was  well-nigh 
filled  with  attentive  listeners.  A  number  were  at 
the  altar  seeking  entire  sanctification.  For  several 
weeks  Brother  Fay  had  been  engaged  in  special 
meetings.  A  few  had  professed  conversion,  and  the 
workers  were  looking  for  a  more  general  break- 
ing up. 

"At  Kewanee,  on  the  afternoon  and  evening  of 
the  18th,  I  found  interested  congregations  to  speak 
to,  and  I  trust  those  two  services  resulted  in  re- 
newed inspiration  to  the  revival  services  then  in 
progress  under  the  management  of  the  pastor,  D. 
W.  Rose.  Several  had  been  converted  and  sancti- 
fied wholly,  and  added  to  the  church,  up  to  that 
date.    A  blessed  spirit  prevailed. 

"On  February  19  and  20  services  in  connection 
with  the  dedication  of  the  new  church  at  Sherrard 
took  place.  Having  no  settled  pastor  the  work  was 
in  charge  of  the  district  elder,  J.  D.  Marsh.  Many 
hearts  were  gladdened  by  the  presence  of  J.  L.  Mc- 
GiflSn,  of  the  Central  Illinois  conference.  We  awoke 
Saturday  and  found  ourselves  in  the  midst  of  a 
severe  snow-storm,  which  continued  with  increas- 
ing severity  until  after  the  benediction  was  pro- 
nounced on  Sunday  night.    The  storm  made  our 


240 


LIFE  AND  LABORS  OF 


financial  prospects  look  somewhat  forbidding,  but 
God  was  with  us,  and  at  the  hour  appointed  for 
the  dedication  a  sufficient  amount  of  money  was 
subscribed  to  cover  -the  indebtedness,  and  the 
church  was  dedicated  to  the  Lord. 

''Elder  Marsh  and  the  pastors  on  the  Peoria  and 
Kewanee  districts  had  reason  for  thanksgiving  to 
God  for  His  gracious  visitations.  If  a  reasonable 
proportion  of  the  converts  were  led  into  the  ex- 
perience of  holiness,  thus  becoming  established  in 
the  spiritual  life,  they  will  prove  to  be  valuable  ac- 
cessions to  the  church  and  powerful  agencies  for 
good  in  the  world." 

March  9-15,  1898,  was  spent  in  a  holiness  conven- 
tion at  Evansville,  Indiana.  Memories  of  the  past 
crowded  upon  my  mind  as  I  entered  the  church 
where  a  quarter  of  a  century  before  I  was  settled 
as  pastor.  I  spent  two  years  very  pleasantly  there. 
But  what  changes  time  had  wrought!  A  goodly 
number  who  then  stood  at  the  front  of  the  battle 
for  pure  Christianity  are  numbered  among  the 
crowned  hosts  above.  Others,  sad  to  report,  had 
compromised  the  truth  and  given  up  their  profes- 
sion or  fallen  into  the  tide  of  worldliness  and  for- 
mality that  has  submerged  the  popular  churches. 
A  few  of  the  original  ones,  however,  remained  at 
their  posts,  while  others  had  been  raised  up  to  take 
the  places  of  those  who  had  fallen.  Brother  J.  W. 
Vickery,  then  past  his  three-score  years  and  ten, 
was  still  on  duty.    He  died  triumphantly  in  1907. 

The  convention  was  a  decided  success,  as  evi- 
denced by  immediate  results.  Large  congregations 
were  in  attendance  and  much  good  was  accom- 


BURTON  It.  JONES 


241 


plished.  A  number  of  souls  came  into  the  experi- 
ence of  entire  sanctification  and  a  deep  interest  was 
awakened  among  the  people. 

The  tenth  <>eneral  conference  of  the  Free  Method- 
ist church  convened  in  (.'hicago,  Illinois,  October  12, 
1898.  Much  important  business  came  before  the 
conference,  some  questions  exciting  spirited  discus- 
sion, vet  a  spirit  of  brotherly  love  prevailed 
throughout.  There  wr.s  a  general  desire  shown  to 
conserve  the  best  interests  of  the  church.  Any 
measure  proposed  that  ap;.eared  to  compromise  the 
issues  of  the  church  was  quickly  defeated  by  large 
majorities.  The  religious  services  were  attended 
with  a  marked  degree  of  the  divine  presence. 

The  tin.e  limit  of  the  jjastorate  was  changed 
from  two  yeiu's  to  three  years  by  an  almost  unani- 
mous vote.  The  change  proved  to  be  very  satisfac- 
tory to  the  church.  A  new  order  in  the  ministry  to 
be  known  as  ''supernumerary  preacher"  was  created 
and  a  section  defining  such  relation  placed  in  the 
Discipline.  The  present  disciplinary  provision  for 
the  support  of  superannuated  preachers  and  wid- 
ows and  orphans  of  deceased  preachers  was  made 
at  that  session.  The  conference  made  quite  a  striking 
departure  from  its  former  customs  in  changing  the 
time  of  its  quadrennial  sessions  from  October  to 
June.  But  the  change  has  worked  so  satisfactorily 
that  it  is  likely  to  remain  permanent. 

The  report  of  the  committee  on  ''general  superin- 
tendency,"  recommending  the  election  of  four  gen- 
eral superintendents  fan  addition  of  one),  elicited 
a  warm  discussion.  After  considering  the  question 
from  every  conceivable  standpoint  the  report  of  the 


242 


LIFE  AND  LABORS  OF 


committee  was  adopted  by  a  large  majority.  On  Oc- 
tober 22d  the  election  took  place.  E.  P.  Hart,  G.  W. 
Coleman,  B.  R.  Jones,  W.  A.  kScIIcw  were  elected, 
Brother  Sellew  being  the  newly  elected  one. 

Being  called  upon  for  a  few  remarks  I  gave  ex- 
pression to  my  feelings  as  follows : 

"I  wish  thus  publicly  to  express  my  appreciation 
of  your  renewed  expression  of  confidence  and  es- 
teem. Four  years  ago  I  entered  upon  the  duties 
of  general  superintendent  of  the  church  with  seri- 
ous apprehension,  but  determined  by  the  help  of 
grace  to  do  the  best  I  could  for  God  and  the  church. 
This  I  have  done.  The  warm  reception  which  I  have 
received  from  the  church  wherever  I  have  gone 
has  been,  and  still  is,  a  source  of  satisfaction  to  me. 
My  time  and  energy  have  all  been  devoted  to  the 
work  assigned  me  by  the  last  general  conference. 
I  have  been  engaged  in  protracted  meetings,  camp- 
meetings,  dedications,  annual  conferences  and  such- 
like, and  have  labored  to  promote  the  interests  of 
the  church  of  God  that  we  represent.  I  am  be- 
coming more  and  more  in  love  with  the  principles 
of  the  Free  Methodist  church.  I  believe  God  has 
raised  us  up  as  a  people  and  thrust  us  out  to 
spread  that  type  of  holiness  which  knows  no  com- 
promise with  sin." 


CHAPTER  XXX. 


Early  in  January,  1880,  by  invitation  of  Elder 
J.  E.  Coleman  of  the  Wisconsin  conference,  Mrs. 
Jones  and  I  assisted  in  special  meetings  at  Beaver 
Dam  and  Oshkosh,  points  on  his  district.  We  found 
the  temperature  at  twenty-five  degrees  below  zero, 
and  the  reader  may  be  assured  it  kept  us  busy  to 
keep  anywhere  near  comfortable.  The  spiritual 
temperature,  however,  was  much  higher,  and  dur 
ing  the  four  days  we  spent  at  Oshkosh  several 
were  clearly  saved  and  a  number  wholly  sancti- 
fied. The  pastor,  E.  J.  Roberts,  was  much  encour- 
aged. Brother  Coleman  was  fully  in  the  spirit  of 
the  meeting  and  labored  faithfully  for  its  success. 
His  death,  which  occurred  in  1906,  seemed  prema- 
ture, and  he  is  still  remembered  as  an  humble,  de- 
voted man  of  God. 

On  January  15,  1809,  occurred  the  death  of  Rev. 
W.  B.  M.  Colt,  a  true  gospel  minister.  He  united 
with  the  Free  Methodist  church  in  1870  and  was 
largely  instrumental  in  raising  up  the  Central  Illi- 
nois conference.  He  was  a  man  of  pronounced 
convictions,  deep  spirituality,  firm  faith  and  un- 
bending integrity  —  a  man  of  the  old  prophetic 
type.  Brother  C.  served  God  and  the  church  well 
and  died  triumphantly. 

February  10-20,  we  spent  with  the  church  at 
Attica,  Indiana,  Rev.  R.  H.  Clark,  pastor.  That 

243 


244 


LIFE  AND  LABORS  OF 


circuit  originally  belonged  to  the  Michigan  con- 
ference and  a  number  of  our  ablest  ministers  have 
labored  there.  It  has  been  the  birthplace  of  many 
souls.  1  had  special  freedom  in  preaching  the 
Word  during  that  meeting.  A  good  spirit  pre- 
vailed throughout,  and  several  persons  were  bless- 
edly saved.   As  a  result  God's  people  were  exultant. 

En  route  to  an  engagement  in  Kansas  in  March, 
I  stopped  over  Sabbath  at  Vinland  and  had  a  pleas- 
ant visit  at  the  home  of  Brother  and  Sister  John 
Nichols.  Their  former  home  in  Michigan  w^as  one 
of  my  stopping  places  on  my  first  circuit  in  1867-8. 
Much  old-time  experience  was  talked  over  in  a  few 
hours.  Brother  and  Sister  N.  are  still  (1909)  liv- 
ing for  God. 

In  June,  on  the  Enterprise  camp-ground,  I  spent 
a  few  days  very  pleasantly  with  the  good  pilgrims 
of  Canada.  Elder  A.  H.  Norrington  was  in  charge 
and  Rev.  H.  W.  Fish,  of  Susquehanna,  was  one  of 
the  helpers.  He  was  greatly  helped  in  administer- 
ing the  Word.  Forty  or  fifty  seekers  bowed  at  the 
altar  during  the  meeting,  most  of  whom  found  the 
Lord.  One  distinctive  feature  of  the  meeting,  and 
that  which  contributed  in  a  large  measure  to  its 
success,  was  the  remarkable  spirit  of  prayer  that 
prevailed  in  the  camp.  It  was  not  uncommon  to 
hear  the  voice  of  souls  pleading  with  God  from  a 
dozen  different  parts  of  the  ground.  One  brother  who 
had  never  attended  a  Free  Methodist  camp-meeting 
before,  remarked,  ''Why,  I  never  in  all  my  life  heard 
so  much  praying  at  a  camp-meeting." 

While  at  the  Genessee  conference,  held  at  West 
Kendall,  Xew  York,  September  9-13,  1899,  we  re 


BURTON  R.  JONES 


245 


ceived  a  telegram  announcing  the  death  of  Rev.  A. 
F.  Curry.  A  feeling  of  sadness  came  over  the  con- 
ference at  the  thought  of  another  pioneer  of  the 
church  having  passed  from  the  scene  of  action. 
Brother  C.  identified  himself  with  the  Free  Method- 
ist church  during  that  great  upheaval  of  "old-time 
Methodism"  in  Western  New  York  in  the  early 
sixties  that  brought  i)ersecution  and  expulsion  to  so 
many  of  the  most  devoted  members  of  the  mother 
church.  For  many  years  he  served  as  an  efficient 
pastor  and  district  elder  in  both  the  Genesee  and 
Susquehanna  conferences. 

While  at  that  conference  I  made  my  first  and 
last  visit  at  the  home  of  Rev.  Henry  Hornsby,  so 
well  known  throughout  the  church.  Brother  H. 
was  quite  active  at  that  time  and  took  a  deep  inter- 
est in  the  work  of  the  conference.  His  counsel  on 
all  judicial  questions  that  arose  was  highly  valued. 
He  has  since  responded  to  the  summons,  "Come  up 
higher." 

It  was  my  privilege  to  preside  at  the  organiza- 
tion of  the  Oil  City  conference  at  Oil  City,  Octo- 
ber 4,  1899.  The  new  conference  was  composed 
of  some  of  the  tried  and  true  men  of  the  church, 
having  previously  belonged  to  the  Pittsburg  con- 
ference. M.  B.  Miller,  W.  B.  Roupe,  S.  Sager,  F. 
E.  Glass  were  the  first  district  elders  in  the  new 
conference.  The  religious  services  were  most  ex- 
cellent, the  needs  of  inquiring  souls  being  in  no- 
wise neglected.  The  young  conference  started  out 
full  of  courage  and  inspiration,  and  its  subsequent 
growth  and  development  is  satisfactory  proof  of  its 
organization  having  been  in  divine  order. 


24G 


LIFE  AND  LABORS  OF 


In  1899  I  had  my  first  experience  in  holding  two 
conferences  in  one  week.  The  thirtieth  annual  ses- 
sion of  the  Kansas  conference  held  at  Emporia, 
Kansas,  October  18-20,  was  reported  as  one  of  the 
best  of  its  history.  A  spirit  of  brotherly  love  pre- 
vailed. The  business  had  to  be  rushed  with  unusual 
dispatch,  yet  it  seemed  satisfactory  to  all.  The 
business  was  finished  and  the  appointments  read 
on  Friday,  the  20th. 

On  Saturday,  the  21st,  the  Oklahoma  conference 
was  organized  at  the  same  place,  composed  of  the 
following  preachers  in  full  connection :  C.  E.  Har 
roun.  Sr.,  C.  E.  Harroun,  Jr.,  J.  L.  Brown,  A.  J. 
Donaldson,  with  three  preachers  on  trial.  At  this 
time  (1908)  the  conference  has  twenty -six  preach- 
ers in  full  connection  and  seven  on  trial.  Thus 
God  honors  the  labors  of  His  true  and  trusted  ser- 
vants. The  Kansas  and  Oklahoma  conferences 
united  in  the  Sabbath  services  and  we  had  a  blessed 
day.  Several  were  thoroughly  saved.  I  hope  to 
know  them  in  heaven. 

On  February  11,  1900,  I  re-dedicated  a  church  at 
Temperance,  Michigan.  At  that  point  I  was  privi- 
leged to  meet  with  Brothers  Osgood,  Anstead  and 
others  who  for  years  have  been  identified  with  the 
Free  Methodist  work.  The  services  were  specially 
interesting  and  the  small  indebtedness  easily  raised. 

During  the  winter  I  held  special  services  at  the 
following  places:  Law^rence,  South  Quincy,  Sher- 
wood, Ransom,  in  Michigan,  and  at  Knox,  Indiana. 
Of  the  meeting  at  Holland,  Ohio,  March  11th,  I 
quote  from  my  diary :  ^'Victory  all  day.  Love-feast 
began,  continued  and  ended  in  the  Spirit.  Had  spe- 


BURTON  R.  JONES 


247 


cial  help  in  preaching,  and  the  power  of  God  came 
on  the  saints.    One  soul  sanctified." 

On  March  31,  1900,  I  accompanied  a  band  of  out- 
going missionaries  as  far  as  New  York.  On  arriv- 
ing at  Buffalo  Brother  O'Regan  very  kindly  as- 
sisted us  in  transferring  across  the  city.  At  New 
York  we  were  met  by  Rev.  M.  B.  Myer,  who  gave 
us  a  warm  welcome.  We  all  spent  the  Sabbath 
with  Brother  M.  at  his  church  in  Brooklyn,  greatly 
enjoying  the  fellowship  of  the  saints  there.  One 
day  was  spent  in  viewing  the  wonders  of  New  York 
city.  On  April  4th  the  missionaries  set  sail  for  their 
far-away  field  in  the  Dark  Continent,  attended  by 
the  prayers  of  the  faithful. 

At  Richland,  Michigan,  May  21st,  I  had  my  first 
experience  in  dedicating  a  log  church,  O.  F.  De 
Foe,  pastor.  A  good  spirit  prevailed  and  the  in- 
debtedness provided  for,  the  pilgrims  taking  hold 
with  as  great  interest  as  if  they  had  been  wrestling 
with  a  |5,000  proposition. 

On  May  23,  1900,  we  moved  into  our  own  home 
at  918  Francis  street,  Jackson,  Michigan.  At  first 
it  was  difficult  to  realize  that  it  was  our  own.  For 
over  thirty  years  I  had  been  engaged  in  the  work 
of  the  Lord,  having  "no  certain  dwelling  place." 
But  God  in  His  goodness  provided  us  with  a  com- 
fortable residence  which  we  greatly  appreciate. 

On  June  15th  I  started  out  to  fill  a  round  of  en- 
gagements in  the  Pittsburg  and  Oil  City  confei*- 
ences.  My  first  stop  was  at  Butler,  Pennsylvania, 
where  I  assisted  C.  W.  Stamp  in  a  few  days'  spe- 
cial services.  It  was  a  season  of  refreshing  and 
encouragement  to  the  church.     My  next  engage- 


248 


LIFE  AND  LABORS  OF 


ment  was  the  dedication  of  a  new  church  in  Pitts- 
burg, J.  Barnhart,  district  elder,  A.  Wilson,  pastor. 
Sunday,  the  24th,  was  a  busy  day,  three  services 
being  held.  The  presence  of  the  Holy  Spirit  in  a 
marked  degree  made  everything  move  satisfactorily. 
The  |1,500  needed  to  provide  for  the  indebtedness 
was  pledged  and  the  church  was  dedicated  to  God 
amid  the  triumphant  shouts  of  the  saints. 

Continuing  my  journey  on  the  27th  I  reached 
Bradford,  Pennsylvania,  where  I  enjoyed  the  hos- 
pitality of  Rev.  Levi  Wood  and  family.  It  was  an 
inspiration  to  me  to  spend  a  few  hours  in  the  home 
of  that  venerable  man  of  God  under  whose  minis- 
try I  had  sat  in  my  boyhood  days.  He  has  since 
joined  the  triumphant  hosts  above. 

On  June  28th  I  reached  the  Coudersport  camp- 
ground. Elder  Roupe  in  charge.  Rev.  C.  M.  Damon 
was  present  and  rendered  efficient  aid  in  the  serv- 
ices. The  spiritual  interest  of  the  meeting  was  good 
and  a  few  were  saved  and  others  greatly  helped. 
From  this  meeting  I  went  to  Vandergrift  where  T 
had  engaged  to  dedicate  a  new  church  July  8th. 
Elder  Barnhart  was  in  charge  of  the  services  and, 
together  with  the  pastor,  labored  faithfully  for  the 
success  of  the  enterprise.  Large  crowds  attended 
the  services  who  responded  liberally  to  appeals  for 
help  and  the  fine  church  was  dedicated  to  the  wor- 
ship of  the  living  God. 

Of  the  dedication  at  Owosso,  Michigan,  July  20- 
22,  Rev.  A.  V.  Leonardson  wrote:  "A  sufficient 
amount  of  money  and  subscription  having  been 
secured  to  meet  the  requirements  of  the  Discipline 
the  society  arranged  to  dedicate  their  church.  Rev. 


BURTON  R.  JONES 


249 


B.  R.  Jones  was  engaged  and  on  the  evening  of 
Jul}'  20th  the  services  began.  The  grand  theme  pre- 
sented in  all  of  the  discourses  was  holiness,  the 
''central  idea"  of  the  gospel.  The  Sabbath  morning 
service  was  sublimely  grand,  as  only  a  spiritual 
service  can  be.  Without  clog  or  hindrance  the  fi- 
nancial wave  rolled  on  and  on,  until  the  church 
debt  of  |225  was  all  canceled.  While  the  building 
was  being  presented  to  God  in  the  dedicatory 
prayer,  we  all  seemed  to  feel  a  mighty  moving,  a 
sacred  nearness  to  God.  Many  were  strengthened, 
encouraged  and  blessed." 

By  invitation  of  Elder  O'Regan  I  attended  the 
Buffalo  district  camp-meeting  held  on  the  old 
ground  at  Suspension  Bridge,  August  8-16,  1900, 
The  Lord  gave  me  special  inspiration  in  presenting 
the  truth.  A  blessed  spirit  of  unity  prevailed 
among  the  saints  during  the  entire  meeting.  The 
love-feasts  were  seasons  of  special  refreshing.  An 
encouraging  feature  of  the  meeting  was  the  good 
attendance  at  the  special  holiness  service  held  every 
morning  at  six  o'clock.  Those  services  were  espe- 
cially helpful  to  those  who  were  hungering  for  full 
salvation.  Frequently  during  the  meetings  the 
altar  was  filled  with  seeking  souls,  many  of  whom 
gave  evidence  by  their  shining  faces  and  definite 
testimonies  that  they  had  obtained  their  heart's 
desire.  The  meeting  closed  in  the  old-fashioned 
way  with  marching  around  the  ground,  hand-shak- 
ing and  the  benediction  by  each  of  the  preachers 
present. 

In  November,  1900,  I  attended  two  dedications 
which  are  worthy  of  special  mention.    After  sev- 


250 


LIFE  AND  LABORS  OF 


eral  years  of  faithful  and  persevering  effort  in  the 
flourishing  city  of  Detroit,  Michigan,  the  pastor, 
F.  L.  Baker,  had  succeeded  in  building  up  a  society 
of  nearly  one  hundred  members  and  erecting  a  fine 
brick  church  and  a  parsonage.  On  my  arrival  on 
the  tenth,  I  found  the  meeting  under  full  headway, 
several  having  already  been  saved.  The  tide  con- 
tinued to  rise,  and  the  vast  crowd  on  Sunday  was 
deeply  impressed  with  the  manifest  presence  of 
God.  The  saints  were  greatly  blessed  during  the 
love-feast.  The  Lord  greatly  helped  in  preaching 
from  ^'Worship  the  Lord  in  the  beauty  of  holiness." 
The  Spirit  wrought  mightily  on  the  audience  and 
the  presentation  of  the  financial  obligations  in- 
volved in  the  enterprise  in  no  wise  dampened  the 
spirits  of  the  faithful.  In  a  few  minutes  the  in- 
debtedness was  provided  for  and  the  church  dedi- 
cated to  God  amid  a  volley  of  shouts  and  praises  to 
the  Almighty  Giver  of  all  good. 

The  following  is  a  clipping  from  the  Detroit  Free 
Press,  taken  from  a  whole  column  headed,  "With 
Great  Enthusiasm "Yesterday  was  a  time  of 
jubilee  for  the  members  of  the  Free  Methodist 
church,  who  for  the  past  two  years  have  beeen  hold- 
ing services  in  a  store  on  the  southeast  corner  of 
Chene  street  and  Trombley  avenue.  It  was  the 
occasion  of  the  dedication  of  their  new  church 
building.  The  Free  Methodists  are  an  honest,  de- 
monstrative, whole-souled  people,  simple  and  natu- 
ral in  their  ways,  paying  little  attention  to  the 
higher  critics.  But  when  it  comes  to  the  practical 
exposition  of  their  faith  and  genuine  enjoyment  of 
their  religion  they  are  second  to  none.    The  church 


BURTON  R.  JONES 


251 


which  was  dedicated  was  well  worthy  of  their 
demonstrations." 

Of  the  Sabbath  services  of  the  dedication  at 
Toledo,  Ohio,  I  made  the  following  note,  Novem- 
ber 25,  1900 :  ''Large  attendance.  Good  love-feast. 
Spoke  from  Psalm  84:  1.  Four  hundred  fifty-five 
dollars  raised  in  forty  minutes,  and  the  house  was 
presented  to  God  amid  the  tears  and  praises  of  the 
faithful.  The  glory  of  God  filled  the  sanctuary. 
Two  souls  saved  at  the  night  service.  Much  credit  is 
due  to  the  faithful  pastor,  J.  H.  Hayden,  for  the 
success  of  the  enterprise."  For  many  years  our 
people  had  labored  within  the  bounds  of  that  city 
without  securing  a  permanent  place  of  worship, 
and  it  was  a  great  comfort  to  the  society  to  get  a 
home  of  its  own. 


CHAPTER  XXXI. 


The  dawn  of  the  twentieth  century  in  Christian 
history,  found  me  at  Niagara  Falls,  Ontario,  where, 
on  the  previous  Sabbath,  I  had  dedicated  a  new 
church,  just  before  bidding  adieu  to  the  dying  cen- 
tury. Aware  that  only  a  few  years  of  the  new  cen- 
tury could  possibly  be  allotted  to  me  I  girded  on 
the  armor  of  righteousness  anew,  determined  to  go 
forth  with  renewed  diligence  to  work  out  the  pur- 
poses of  the  Most  High. 

Exercised  by  a  keen  sense  of  the  responsibility 
devolving  upon  the  church  with  v.hich  I  am  iden- 
tified, I  could  but  feel  the  importance  of  those  prin- 
ciples which  she  had  been  raised  up  to  defend  and 
propagate.  To  her  is  committed  the  responsibility 
of  maintaining  the  Bible  standard  of  religion.  It 
is  hers  to  exemplify  the  povrer  of  the  gospel  in  ex- 
perience, in  precept,  in  life.  To  her  holy  calling 
she  must  be  true  or  be  forsaken  of  the  Holy  Spirit. 
Every  development  of  worldliuess,  every  desire  for 
popularity,  every  tent  toward  fori::alis::i,  every  de 
parture  from  holiness  of  character  an  l  life  that  is 
discovered  in  the  church  should  be  deeply  deplored 
and  suddenly  checked.  The  Free  Methodist  church 
might  better  by  far  become  utterly  extinct  than  to 
be  added  to  the  list  of  churches  which  have  de- 
parted from  the  simplicity  and  purity  of  the 
gospel. 

252 


BURTON  R.  JONES 


253 


The  sudden  death  of  Dr.  Begel,  February  4,  1901, 
at  his  home  in  Jackson,  Michigan,  was  a  surprise 
to  his  many  friends  througliout  the  church.  In 
his  death  the  church  and  tlie  cause  of  Christ  lost 
an  earnest,  devoted  and  courageous  defender.  He 
never  hesitated  to  confess  Christ  among  all  classes 
with  whom  he  associated.  Among  the  saints  or 
mingling  with  professional  men  he  was  the  same 
humble,  unassuming  man  of  God. 

On  March  13,  1901,  I  received  the  following  very 
comforting  note  from  S.  K.  Wheatlake,  then  pas- 
tor at  Greenville,  Illinois:  "Your  daughter  Mabel 
is  doing  finely  in  her  experience.  In  fact  she  is 
one  of  the  most  devoted  young  ladies  we  have  in 
the  college.  She  keeps  plain  and  blessed."  Only 
Christian  parents,  thoroughly  interested  in  the  spir- 
itual well-being  of  their  children,  can  fully  realize 
the  comfort  w^hich  that  note  brought  to  me.  At 
this  time  (1909)  she  is  director  of  music  in  the 
college  and  is  walking  humbly  before  God. 

The  following  note  will  be  of  interest  to  a  num- 
ber who  will  read  this  life  story: 

"The  dedicatory  service  of  the  Free  Methodist 
church  of  Zanesville,  Ohio,  was  conducted  Sunday, 
March  19,  1901,  by  Superintendent  B.  R.  Jones. 
Over  |500  was  pledged  by  the  congregation.  We 
organized  here  in  October.  Thirty  have  united  with 
us.  Four  were  wonderfully  saved  last  night.  To 
see  so  many  young  people  come  through  with  shouts 
of  victory  is  encouraging.  We  are  contending 
for  the  old  paths.  The  Zanesville  Times  Re- 
corder says  of  us:  The  cardinal  points  with  the 
Free  Methodists  are  simplicity  in  dress,  speech  and 


254 


LIFE  AND  LABORS  OF 


manner,  and  holiness  of  living.  There  are  no  soci- 
eties in  the  church,  and  social  amusements  are  ta- 
booed. Their  pleasure  consists  in  serving  the  Lord 
and  leading  holy  lives.' 

"L.  Glenn  Lewis,  PastorJ' 

The  general  conference  of  1898  made  the  general 
superintendents  a  committee  to  prepare  a  book  to 
guide  in  the  administration  of  the  law  of  the 
church.  For  certain  reasons  the  work  of  preparing 
that  treatise  fell  to  me.  Its  preparation  necessi- 
tated my  acquiring  a  thorough  knowledge  of  church 
law.  As  a  result  of  my  effort  the  work  entitled 
^'Digest  of  Free  Methodist  Law"  came  from  the 
press  in  August,  1901,  and  was  received  with  com- 
paratively little  criticism  from  those  most  thor- 
oughly versed  in  ecclesiastical  law.  In  1908  a  re- 
vised edition  was  issued  to  make  it  conform  fully 
to  the  changes  in  the  Discipline  made  by  the  general 
conference  of  1907.  Since  1903  it  has  been  recog- 
nized by  the  general  conference  as  the  standard 
authority  on  the  law  of  the  church. 

My  round  of  conferences  for  1901  began  with 
the  Minnesota  and  Northern  Iowa,  at  Plymouth, Iowa, 
August  21st,  and  ended  with  the  South  Dakota  at 
Sioux  Falls,  October  6th.  At  the  latter  conference 
there  was  but  one  candidate  for  ordination,  and 
that  one  was  Eldon  G.  Burritt,  now  (1909)  presi- 
dent of  Greenville  College. 

While  at  Platte  River  conference,  September  16th, 
we  were  shocked  by  the  news  of  the  attempted  as- 
sassination of  President  McKinley.  His  death  fol- 
lowed a  few  days  later.  He  was  the  third  president 
assassinated  during  my  generation. 


BURTON  R.  JONES 


255 


The  West  Iowa  conference  met  at  Polk  City  Uiat 
year,  and  the  harmonious  si)irit  shown  in  the  busi- 
ness proceedings,  together  with  the  unmistakable 
manifestations  of  the  divine  presence,  produced  a 
very  favorable  impression  on  the  j)cople.  A  scene 
which  quickened  every  human  emotion  of  the  saints 
was  the  climax  of  the  dedicatory  service  Sunday 
morning.  A  volley  of  "aniens,"  "glorys"  and  '"hal- 
lelujahs" poured  forth  from  hearts  overflowing  with 
holy  emotion.  What  an  inspiration  it  is  to  the  man 
of  God,  as  he  unfolds  the  gospel,  to  receive  such 
hearty  responses  from  his  audience! 

Rev.  J.  H.  Wilson,  the  secretary,  wrote  of  the 
conference  and  dedication : 

''The  session  was  the  best  we  have  had  for  years. 
There  was  a  marked  outpouring  of  the  Holy  Spirit 
at  different  times,  especially  at  the  Sabbath  morn- 
ing service.  General  Superintendent  Jones  pre- 
sided with  acceptability.  His  preaching  was  in 
power.  The  close  of  his  Sabbath  morning  sermon, 
with  its  powerful  peroration,  amid  the  weeping 
and  shouts  of  the  saints,  will  not  soon  be  forgotten. 
Quite  a  number  were  saved.  At  this  service  the 
new  church  was  dedicated.  Nearly  |500  was  quick- 
ly raised.  If  the  spirit  of  this  conference  session 
shall  prove  to  be  an  index  of  the  year  to  come,  bet- 
ter times  are  in  store  for  the  West  Iowa  confer- 
ence." 

The  following  summary  report  of  my  labors  dur 
ing  the  year  1901  was  published  in  The  Free  Meth- 
odist, according  to  the  disciplinary  requirement: 

"During  the  year  I  have  labored  within  the 
bounds  of  fifteen  annual  conferences,  involving  over 


256 


LIFE  AND  LABORS  OF 


ten  thousand  miles'  travel.  I  have  presided  at  seven 
annual  conference  sessions,  dedicated  ten  churches, 
held  seven  holiness  conventions,  attended  four 
camp-meetings,  assisted  in  eight  quarterly  meetings, 
spent  one  Sabbath  at  the  commencement  exercises 
of  Spring  Arbor  Seminary,  preaching  the  annual 
sermon,  conducted  special  services  in  many  differ- 
ent localities,  and  occasionally  spent  a  week  at 
home  for  needed  rest,  usually  preaching  on  the 
Sabbath." 

As  a  people  keep  holy  and  unworldly  God  honors 
them  with  His  presence  and  help.  No  people  were 
ever  celebrated  for  worldliness  and  holiness  at  one 
and  the  same  time.  The  one  is  destructive  to  the 
other.  The  former  fills  the  mind  with  vanity,  de- 
stroys the  spirit  of  true  devotion,  alienates  the 
heart  from  God  and  the  God-like,  and  paralyzes 
the  church;  while  the  latter  begets  humility,  cre- 
ates an  affmity  for  the  pure  and  heavenly-minded, 
increases  one's  devotion  to  God  and  His  truth,  pro 
motes  growth  in  grace  and  gives  health  and  vitality 
to  the  church.  Satan  and  sinners  love  the  former  ; 
God  and  the  saints  love  the  latter. 


CHAPTER  XXXII. 


At  8:45  a.  m.  New-year's  day,  1902,  Mrs.  Jones, 
Ruth  and  I  boarded  a  train  at  Chicago,  en  route  for 
the  Pacific  coast.  Passing  through  Memphis,  Ten- 
nessee, and  Jackson,  Mississippi,  we  reached  New 
Orleans,  Louisiana,  early  the  next  day  and  spent  a 
few  hours  viewing  some  of  the  principal  parts  of 
that  great  city.  Reaching  San  Antonio,  Texas,  we 
were  met  by  Elder  Thompson  and  assigned  quar- 
ters at  Sister  Wetherlie's  where  we  were  very  kindly 
entertained  during  our  stay  in  that  city.  Accord- 
ing to  previous  engagement  we  assisted  in  a  two- 
days'  meeting  in  San  Antonio,  resulting  in  special 
encouragement  to  the  little  society  then  struggling 
for  an  existence.  We  greatly  enjoyed  our  short 
stop-over  with  the  pilgrims  and  were  much  helped 
in  our  sincere  effort  to  help  others. 

On  arriving  at  the  coast  we  could  not  avoid  con- 
trasting the  mild  climate,  green  foliage  and  bloom- 
ing flowers  of  that  region  with  the  cold,  snow-bound 
country  we  had  left  only  eight  days  before.  A  ten- 
days'  meeting  in  Los  Angeles,  David  McLeod,  pas- 
tor, gave  opportunity  for  "bodily  exercise,"  fervent 
jjrayer,  victorious  faith  and  steady  growth  in  grace. 
Brother  E.  C.  Shipley  was  actively  interested  in 
that  meeting,  but  before  I  visited  the  coast  again  he 
had  passed  to  his  eternal  home. 

Arriving  at  Alameda  on  the  21st  we  settled  down 

257 


258 


LIFE  AND   LABORS  OF 


for  a  few  days'  rest.  We  arrived  in  the  midst  of 
the  "rainy  season,"  which  is  awaited  with  much 
anxiety  as  the  rainfall  during  the  early  months  is 
absolutely  necessary  to  insure  crops  for  the  ensu- 
ing season. 

A  holiness  convention  in  connection  with  a  gen- 
eral quarterly  meeting  began  at  Alameda,  March 
4,  1902,  in  charge  of  Elder  Cochran  and  pastor 
Griffith.  Under  a  steadily  increasing  interest  the 
meeting  continued  over  the  24th.  Several  were 
saved,  a  number  wholly  sanctified  and  the  work 
greatly  strengthened.  Thank  God  for  such  refresh- 
ing seasons. 

I  finished  my  round  of  the  Pacific  Coast  confer- 
ences for  1902  on  June  29th.  They  all  were  seasons 
of  profit  and  refreshing.  The  Washington  confer- 
held  at  Tacoma  was  regarded  by  many  present  as 
one  of  the  most  harmonious  and  blessed  sessions 
in  its  history.  The  ministry  as  a  body  are  humble, 
devoted,  spiritual  and  self-sacrificing.  I  did  not 
detect  a  single  jar  during  the  whole  proceedings. 
Both  ministers  and  laymen  appeared  to  hold  the 
interests  of  the  work  of  God  as  paramount  to  every 
other  interest.  With  such  a  condition  of  things 
it  is  not  surprising  that  the  Holy  Spirit  was  richly 
outpoured  during  the  conference  session.  Seekers 
were  at  the  altar  at  every  invitation  and  gracious 
deliverances  were  wrought  out.  The  Sabbath  was 
a  blessed  day.  At  the  night  service  about  twenty 
souls  sought  the  Lord,  several  of  whom  were  saved. 
Glorious  victory. 

Within  the  bounds  of  the  Washington  confer- 
ence one  of  our  most  promising  schools  is  located. 


BUKTOX  I{.  JONES 


259 


The  interest  taken  in  Seattle  Seminary  by  the  con 
ference  speaks  well  both  for  its  present  and  its  fu- 
ture. It  was  my  privilege  to  attend  a  district  quar- 
terly meeting  at  the  seminary  and  gain  some  per- 
sonal knowledge  of  its  workings.  While  the  school 
maintains  a  good  literary  standing  the  spiritual  in- 
terests of  the  students  are  carefully  guarded.  The 
utmost  spiritual  freedom  is  tolerated,  and  many 
young  people  already  date  their  conversion  back  to 
the  time  of  their  attendance  at  Seattle  Seminary. 
During  my  stay  at  the  seminary  I  was  most  cor- 
dially entertained  at  the  home  of  Professor  and  Mrs. 
Shay.  It  was  not  difficult  to  discover  the  deep  so- 
licitude they  felt  for  the  interests  of  the  students. 

After  conference  I  sjjent  two  weeks  with  District 
Elder  Smalley,  visiting  Everett,  Mt.  Vernon,  Green 
Lake  and  Cle  Elum  in  the  order  named.  The  serv- 
ices at  each  x)lace  were  largely  attended  and  favored 
with  an  encouraging  degree  of  the  divine  presence. 
During  my  stay  at  Green  Lake  I  was  entertained 
by  Brother  and  Sister  D.  H.  Simons,  formerly  of 
Mason  City,  Iowa.  They  manifested  their  usual  in 
terest  in  the  work  of  the  church. 

The  general  quarterly  meeting  and  dedication 
at  Cle  Elum,  May  10,  11,  was  a  season  of  special 
refreshing  to  the  saints.  To  secure  a  house  free  from 
debt  in  which  to  worship  God  in  the  spirit  was  an 
achievement  of  no  small  significance  to  the  little 
society  in  that  city.  Brother  and  Sister  Green, 
upon  whom  the  principal  financial  resjjonsibility 
had  rested,  were  especially  encouraged. 

May  14th  the  Columbia  River  conference  opened 
its  annual  session  at  Spokane,  Washington.  The 


260 


LIFE  AND  LABORS  OF 


session  was  very  harmonious  throughout.  The  se- 
vere testings  through  which  the  conference  had 
passed  served  to  drav/  both  the  ministers  and  lay- 
men nearer  to  God  and  to  one  another.  God  met 
with  us  and  the  pilgrims  were  strengthened  and 
encouraged.  The  altar  services  were  seasons  of  vic- 
tory. 

The  Oregon  conference  was  held  at  Portland, 
May  21-25,  1902,  and  was  a  blessed  season.  The 
business  sittings,  as  well  as  the  public  religious 
services,  were  characterized  by  the  Master's  pres- 
ence. Brotherly  love  prevailed.  Every  plan  adopted 
seemed  to  be  for  the  sole  purpose  of  advancing  the 
work  of  God.  Brother  William  Pearce  was  re- 
elected district  elder,  receiving  every  vote  of  the 
conference  but  one.  Such  an  occurrence  is  very 
rare.  A  number  of  souls  were  blessedly  saved  and 
others  wholly  sanctified.  The  Sabbath  was  the 
crowning  day  of  the  occasion.  Evidently  all  the 
tithes  had  been  brought  in,  for  at  the  morning  serv- 
ice God  opened  the  v\indows  of  heaven  and  poured 
out  the  uncontainable  blessing  upon  the  congrega- 
tion. Such  a  scene  no  pen  can  describe.  The  un- 
saved looked  on  in  breathless  silence,  while  the 
saints  were  enraptured  with  visions  of  divine  glory. 
Wave  after  wave  swept  over  the  audience  and  the 
inhabitants  of  Zion  wept  and  shouted  and  leaped 
for  joy.  Glory  to  God  in  the  highest!  The  remain- 
ing services  of  the  day  were  attended  with  the  ut- 
irost  freedom,  and  at  night  the  altar  was  filled 
with  seekers,  a  number  of  whom  were  graciously 
saved.  Such  seasons  are  of  untold  benefit  to  the 
work.    Preachers  and  people  are  inspired  with  new 


BUKTOX  11.  JONES 


261 


courage  and  faith,  wiiicli  will  invariably  be  fol- 
lowed by  important  victories.  The  conference  was 
a  great  blessing  to  the  church  at  Portland.  Brother 
and  Sister  H.  V.  Haslani  were  returned  to  that 
work  for  the  third  year. 

On  June  5,  11)02,  there  were  evidences  of  life  in 
Beulah  Park,  East  Oakland,  as  the  pilgrims  began 
to  gather  for  a  camp-meeting  to  precede  the  annual 
session  of  the  California  conference.  The  spiritual 
tide  rose  steadily  and  when  the  time  for  the  first 
sitting  of  the  conference  arrived  all  were  in  a  con- 
dition of  mind  to  push  the  business  rapidly.  No 
friction  arose.  The  work  of  the  stationing  commit- 
tee was  easy,  and  by  Saturday  noon  the  business  of 
the  conference  was  finished  and  the  appointments 
read.  At  the  head  of  the  list  of  ministers  com- 
posing this  conference  stands  the  name  of  E.  P. 
Hart,  who  took  an  active  part  in  the  business  and 
religious  exercises.  He  seemed  to  take  special 
pleasure  in  attending  a  conference  where  he  was 
not  required  to  preside. 

One  great  hindrance  to  the  work  of  true  holiness 
on  that  coast  is  the  numerous  so-called  holiness  or- 
ganizations that  are  operating  there.  However  fas- 
tidious one  may  be  there  is  little  difiiculty  in  find- 
ing a  type  of  holiness  suited  to  his  notions.  There 
are  those  who  operate  along  w^orldly  lines,  fellow- 
shiping  secret  societies,  indulging  in  fashionable  at- 
tire, frequenting  the  opera  and  theater,  sharing  in 
worldly  festivities  in  general,  and  at  the  same  time 
using  ''holiness  unto  the  Lord"  as  a  trade-mark.  This 
compromise  type  of  holiness  is  in  much  greater 
demand  than  the  true  type  which  involves  entire 


262 


LIFE  AND  LABORS  OF 


separation  from  everything  that  is  unscriptural  and 
un-Christ-like.  God  has  a  few  chosen  ones  there 
who  are  faithful  and  uncompromising  in  their  ef- 
forts to  promote  the  work  of  Bible  holiness. 

The  Southern  California  camp-meeting  and  con- 
ference was  held  in  Sycamore  Grove,  Los  Angeles, 
June  18-29, 1902.  About  eighty  families  were  tented 
on  the  ground.  The  congregations  were  large  and 
the  interest  was  excellent.  Seekers  were  at  the 
altar  at  nearly  every  service,  and  a  goodly  number 
found  the  experience  they  sought.  Many  of  the  min- 
isters and  members  of  that  conference  were  Free 
Methodists  before  removing  to  the  coast,  and  they 
have  given  decided  character  to  the  work  there.  The 
last  Sabbath  was  an  excellent  day.  Four  regular 
services,  children's  meeting,  young  people's  meeting, 
a  rousing  ring-meeting,  kept  the  workers  occupied 
from  early  dawn  until  late  at  night.  D.  G.  Shep- 
ard,  the  newly  elected  elder  of  Los  Angeles  district, 
started  in  on  his  new  field  with  commendable  zeal 
and  faith.  David  McLeod,  for  two  years  a  success- 
ful pastor  at  Los  Angeles,  and,  by  the  way,  a  for- 
mer student  of  Spring  Arbor  Seminary,  was  se- 
lected for  the  eldership  of  the  Arizona  work.  Al- 
though the  field  is  a  difficult  one,  he  accepted  the 
situation  cheerfully  and  went  forth  with  a  glad 
heart  to  proclaim  a  full  gospel  to  a  needy  people. 

Brother  W.  B.  Olmstead  attended  the  last  four 
conferences  named,  and  besides  preaching  often, 
labored  faithfully  in  representing  our  Sunday-school 
and  publishing  house  interests.  A  great  interest 
was  awakened  in  both  the  normal  lessons  and  the 
home  department  work. 


BURTON  It.  JONES 


263 


On  returning  from  the  coast  I  passed  over  the 
Colorado  Midland  route.  The  scenery  was  most  de- 
lightful, exceeding  anything  I  had  ever  seen  before. 
In  crossing  the  mountains  above  Colorado  Springs 
we  were  carried  above  the  clouds.  Above  us  the 
sun  shone  brightly,  while  below  us  rolled  the  dense 
volume  of  clouds  like  the  waves  of  the  sea  amid  a 
raging  storm.   The  scene  was  beyond  description. 

I  had  the  middle-west  conferences  on  my  list  that 
year,  beginning  with  the  Colorado,  at  Colorado 
Springs.  I  made  the  round  in  good  condition,  hav- 
ing no  serious  differences  to  adjust.  The  blessing  of 
the  Most  High  was  upon  His  people,  inspiring  them 
with  faith  and  courage. 

In  my  visits  to  the  different  fields  I  am  im- 
pressed with  the  urgent  need  of  a  diligent  minis- 
try. The  call  for  faithful  laborers  is  pressing. 
Well  directed,  faithful  efforts  for  the  salvation  of 
souls  will  not  be  fruitless.  Success  must  attend  the 
labors  of  a  sanctified  ministry.  To  succeed  in  the 
gospel  ministry  there  must  be  an  untiring  effort 
^^to  seek  and  to  save  that  which  is  lost"  The  per- 
ishing and  the  dying  are  to  be  rescued  and  cared 
for.  Indolence  and  lack  of  interest  in  real  gospel 
work  is  sure  to  burden  the  ministry  with  a  class 
of  "dignified  gentry'^  who  care  for  little  else  than 
salary  and  personal  popularity.  Such  preachers 
are  not  likely  to  take  any  chances  on  presenting 
unpopular  truths  to  the  people.  Only  preachers 
who  are  armed  with  the  panoply  of  heaven  have  the 
courage  to  declare  the  whole  counsel  of  God. 

Ministers,  as  a  rule,  would  be  healthier  and 
stronger  if  they  took  more  physical  exercise  in- 


264 


LIFE   AND   LABORS  OF 


volved  in  practical  gospel  work.  By  preaching 
often  and  doing  more  pastoral  work  they  would 
have  a  better  appetite,  a  more  active  mind  and  a 
clearer  conscience. 

One  of  my  most  pleasant  visits  to  Pittsburg, 
Pennsylvania,  was  on  the  occasion  of  the  dedica- 
tion of  the  East  End  church,  December  11-14,  1902. 
Sister  Laura  Lamb,  the  faithful  pastor,  with  com- 
paratively few  members,  had  succeeded  in  erecting 
a  very  substantial  church  and  parsonage.  There 
was  no  money  in  the  treasury  when  the  enterprise 
was  launched,  but  steady  faith,  accompanied  with 
corresponding  works,  brought  the  needed  supplies. 
Of  the  dedication  District  Elder  Stamp  wrote  in 
part:  ^'General  Superintendent  Jones  was  engaged 
for  the  dedication  services.  He  was  present  for  the 
first  service  and  it  seemed  to  us  that  he  was  unusu- 
ally filled  with  the  Holy  Ghost.  The  weather  was 
bad.  Heavy  rains  continued  until  Sunday,  which 
vras  a  test  of  faith.  The  cost  of  the  entire  build- 
ing was  |4,700,  .^2,800  of  which  had  to  be  raised  to 
clear  the  indebtedness.  It  seemed  a  large  amount; 
but  one  man  prayed  till  four  o'clock  in  the  morn- 
ing and  got  the  evidence  of  God's  help,  and  after 
an  inspiring  sermon  by  Brother  Jones  the  financial 
statement  was  made  and  the  .f2,800  provided  for 
in  less  than  one  hour.  The  spiritual  part  of  the 
services  equaled  the  financial  and  a  goodly  number 
were  saved.  Five  were  received  into  the  church 
on  probation." 


CHAPTER  XXXIII. 


Early  in  1903  I  was  asked  to  write  an  ''Introduc- 
tion'' to  "Reminiscences  of  Early  Free  Methodism," 
by  General  Superintendent  Hart,  a  work  that  has 
a  wide  circulation  in  the  church,  and  is  of  special 
interest  to  those  who  are  interested  in  the  rise  and 
progress  of  Free  Methodism.  Those  who  were  iden- 
tified with  the  church  in  her  early  struggles  feel 
a  thrill  of  holy  emotion  as  they  read  of  the  thrill- 
ing experiences  of  those  exciting  times.  The  mis- 
sion of  the  book  is  to  call  the  attention  of  its 
readers  to  the  important  lessons  taught  by  the  past 
history  of  the  church,  to  note  the  warnings  it  con- 
veys for  the  future,  and  thus  safely  fortify  against 
the  perils  that  threaten  the  life  of  the  church. 

Early  in  1901  there  v/2re  but  two  Free  Method- 
ists in  the  city  of  Howard,  Michigan.  Rev.  J.  A. 
Humphries  entered  the  place  and  opened  revival 
services  in  an  old  cheese  factory.  He  visited  nearly 
every  family  in  the  town  irrespective  of  profession 
or  creed.  God  honored  his  labors,  souls  were  saved 
and  a  Free  Methodist  society  organized.  A  little 
later  the  Lord  commanded  Brother  H.  to  "arise  and 
build."  He  obeyed  and  the  Lord  who  commanded 
helped  him  through.  The  success  of  the  enterprise 
was  a  marvel  to  many  and  should  serve  to  inspire 
faith  and  perseverance  in  any  society  needing  a 
church.   I  was  privileged  to  be  present  at  the  dedi- 


265 


266 


LIFE  AND  LABORS  OF 


cation  and  was  specially  helped  in  preaching  the 
Word.  Several  were  blessedly  saved  during  the 
services,  and  amid  tears  and  shouts  of  praise  and 
thanksgiving  the  church  was  dedicated  to  the  wor- 
ship of  Almighty  God,  March  18,  1903. 

Greenville,  Illinois,  was  selected  as  the  place  of 
holding  the  general  conference  of  1903,  and  it 
proved  to  be  a  delightful  spot  for  such  an  assembly. 
That  was  the  fearful  flood-vear  in  the  central  west 
and  many  of  us  will  long  remember  the  diflSculties 
and  dangers  encountered  in  reaching  the  seat  of 
conference.  But  when  once  upon  the  ground  every- 
thing was  delightful.  Greenville  being  the  location 
of  our  only  denominational  college  it  formed  a 
strong  attraction  for  our  people. 

A  pathetic  scene  occurred  at  the  close  of  the  sec- 
ond sitting  when  Superintendent  Coleman  arose 
and  in  a  few  words  expressed  his  desire,  in  consid- 
eration of  advanced  age  and  declining  health,  not 
to  be  considered  a  candidate  for  re-election  to  the 
superintendencv.  For  over  sixteen  years  he  had 
served  the  church  faithfully  and  efficiently  in  the 
eminent  position  to  which  he  had  been  called,  and 
many  regrets  were  expressed  as  the  time  for  his 
retiring  approached. 

On  June  19th  the  conference  proceeded  to  ballot 
for  general  superintendents.  Edward  P.  Hart,  Bur- 
ton R.  Jones,  Walter  A.  Sellew,  Wilson  T.  Hogue 
were  elected.  Brother  Hogue  was  the  newlv  elected 
one.  C.  B.  Ebev  was  elected  editor  of  the  church 
paper. 

The  question  of  the  attitude  of  the  church  toward 
"labor  unions''  and  some  of  the  minor  secret  orders 


Bl'UTOX  li.  J(iXi:S 


267 


was  brought  before  the  conference  at  tlie  reriiiest 
of  a  few  sincere  persons  who  thought  tlie  Disci- 
pline should  be  changed  so  that  membership  in 
such  orders  would  not  be  a  bar  to  membership  in 
the  church.  The  house  was  crowded  with  inter- 
ested and  anxious  listeners,  and  intense  interest 
was  shown  in  the  consideration  of  the  question. 
Those  engaged  in  the  discussion  spoke  with  deep 
earnestness,  yet  with  the  utmost  candor.  After  ^ 
thorough  consideration  of  every  phase  of  the  sub- 
ject, the  final  vote  gave  an  overwhelming  majority 
in  favor  of  making  no  change  in  the  Discipline 
touching  the  relation  of  the  church  to  secret  soci- 
eties. Action  was  taken,  however,  recognizing  the 
right  of  laboring  men  to  organize  in  the  interests 
of  self-protection  and  self-improvement. 

Each  officer  elect  being  asked  for  a  few  remarks, 
I  addressed  the  conference  as  follows: 

"A  little  over  eight  years  ago,  in  this  city,  I  was 
first  called  to  the  office  which  I  now  hold,  and  this 
renewed  expression  of  confidence,  emphasized  by 
such  a  large  vote,  affords  me  inexpressible  satisfac- 
tion. During  the  two  terms  I  have  served  the 
church  in  this  honored  relation  it  has  been  my  aim 
to  discharge  the  duties  incumbent  upon  me  con- 
scientiously and  in  the  fear  of  God. 

"I  am  in  full  sympathy  with  the  church  in  all 
her  operations,  and  since  the  hour  of  my  conversion 
I  have  been  ready  to  share  with  her  in  the  persecu- 
tions, sacrifices  and  struggles  involved  in  the  prop- 
agation of  the  gospel  of  Christ.  You  are  aware 
that  the  office  to  which  you  have  called  me  is  not 
without  its  embarrassments,  but  by  the  united  ef- 


268 


LIFE  AND  LABOIiS  OF 


fort  of  the  ministry  and  laity  I  believe  God  will 
honor  us  with  still  greater  success  in  the  future. 

"I  think  the  general  feeling  is  that  this  has  been 
the  most  harmonious,  most  blessed  general  confer- 
ence yet  held  in  the  history  of  the  church.  Let  our 
prayers  continue  to  ascend  for  one  another  and  for 
the  success  of  the  interests  and  principles  we  rep 
resent." 

The  congregation  then  sang,  "Work  till  Jesus 
comes,"  and  the  place  seemed  filled  with  the  pres- 
ence of  God. 

The  general  conference  of  1903  passed  into  his- 
tory as  one  of  marked  spirituality.  The  business 
sittings,  as  well  as  the  religious  services,  were  char- 
acterized by  an  almost  continuous  outpouring  of 
the  Holy  Spirit.  The  prevailing  sentiment  of  the 
conference  was  in  favor  of  uncompromising  loyalty 
to  original  principles.  Not  one  amendment  was 
made  to  the  Discipline  calculated  to  weaken  the 
position  of  the  church  on  any  of  her  fundamental 
principles. 

Only  as  the  church  keeps  pure  and  humble  can 
she  maintain  her  spiritual  life  and  power.  The 
standard  of  spirituality  in  the  church  lowers  as  its 
members  become  proud  and  worldly-conformed. 
Then  persecution  and  opposition  cease,  distinctive 
issues  are  lost  sight  of  and  the  church  becomes  dis- 
tinguished for  formality  and  worldliness.  As  in- 
tellectual rivalry  and  interest  in  the  social  gath- 
erings are  allowed  to  supplant  zeal  for  the  real 
work  of  God,  true  piety  is  crushed  out.  There 
may  remain  a  profession  of  religion,  but  little,  if 
any,  of  the  real  power  of  godliness  will  be  exhibited. 


BURTON  K.  JONES 


269 


September  9,  1903,  I  had  my  first  experience  in  a 
train  wreck.  As  we  were  moving  out  of  the  city  of 
Schenectady,  New  York,  the  engine  of  our  train  col- 
lided with  the  engine  of  a  freight  train  and  turned 
over  into  a  ditch.  The  train  was  terribly  shaken, 
creating  great  excitement  among  the  passengers, 
but  no  one  was  seriously  injured.  It  seemed  re- 
markable that  no  lives  were  lost.  A  short  delay, 
another  engine  was  attached  to  our  train  and  we 
soon  reached  Glens  Falls,  the  seat  of  the  Susque- 
hanna conference. 

A  few  days  with  the  good  brethren  of  "old  Sus- 
quehanna," proved  to  be  very  refreshing,  after 
which  I  made  my  first  visit  to  Saratoga  Springs, 
being  kindly  entertained  at  the  pleasant  home  of 
Brother  and  Sister  W.  H.  Clark.  A  short  visit  at 
the  famous  springs  of  that  city  served  to  satisfy 
my  curiosity,  as  well  as  my  relish  for  mineral 
waters. 

On  September  15,  1903,  in  company  with  Broth- 
ers Clark  and  Olmstead,  I  took  my  first  trip  by 
steamer  down  the  Hudson  river,  en  route  to  the 
Xew  York  conference.  It  was  a  restful  trip.  Along 
the  entire  distance  from  Albany  to  New  Y^ork  city 
the  shores  present  an  unfolding  panorama  as  varied 
as  the  imagination  can  picture. 

A  few  hours  out  from  New  Y^ork  brought  us  to 
Wilkes-Barre,  Pennsylvania,  where  we  were  royally 
entertained  at  the  home  of  Brother  W.  B.  Bertels 
during  the  conference.  A  good  spirit  prevailed  in 
the  conference,  and  the  appointments  were  quite 
satisfactory,  with  Brothers  Eakins  and  Miller  as 
district  elders. 


270 


LIFE  AND  LABORS  OF 


The  Genesee,  Oil  City  and  Pittsburg  conferences 
followed  in  my  list,  after  which  I  returned  to  Chi- 
cago to  attend  the  annual  board  meetings. 

Sunday,  November  22,  1903,  the  date  of  the  dedi- 
cation of  the  new  church  at  Hillsdale,  Michigan, 
was  a  day  of  victory.  Until  that  time  our  people 
had  been  unable  to  secure  a  permanent  place  of 
worship  in  that  city.  The  occasion  was  especially 
enjoyable  to  me,  being  privileged  to  meet  a  num- 
ber of  the  pilgrims  with  whom  I  had  been  associ- 
ated in  the  work  of  the  church  in  other  years.  Some 
were  present  who  for  over  forty  years  had  been  wit- 
nessing to  the  power  of  God  to  sanctify  wholly. 
They  had  not  wearied  in  well-doing,  but  are  deter- 
mined to  persevere  until  the  crowning  day  comes. 
To  Brother  Abbott,  a  layman,  much  credit  is  due 
for  the  success  of  the  church  enterprise, 


CHAPTER  XXXIV. 


At  the  opening  of  the  year  1904,  I  made  the  fol- 
lowing entry  in  my  diary :  "Mournful  day  for 
Chicago.  Thousands  of  her  citizens  are  mourning 
for  their  dead,  caused  by  the  fearful  calamity  that 
came  upon  the  great  audience  assembled  at  the 
Iroquois  theater  in  that  city  on  December  30,  1903. 
About  six  hundred  unfortunate  persons  were  swept 
into  eternity  by  the  rushing  flames.  Husbands  and 
wives,  mothers  and  children  were  found  amid  the 
heaps  of  the  suffocated  victims.  Teachers  of  the 
city  schools  and  ministers  of  orthodox  churches 
were  among  the  victims  of  that  awful  tragedy.'^ 

What  a  warning  to  all  "lovers  of  pleasure  more 
than  lovers  of  God."  Genuine  Bible  experience 
will  remove  all  desire  for  the  ball-room,  theater, 
opera,  circus,  horse-race,  church  entertainments, 
and  such  like,  and  will  beget  a  love  for  the  prayer 
and  class-meeting,  the  public  worship  of  God,  His 
Word  and  His  ordinances. 

The  year  1904  was  the  banner  year  for  the  intro- 
duction of  get-rich-quick  schemes,  and  they  were  a 
"temptation  and  a  snare"  to  many  of  our  ministers 
and  people.  In  some  localities  our  church  work 
suffered  very  seriously  because  of  those  money-ma- 
king and  money-losing  schemes.  Thousands  of  dol- 
lars were  lost  through  speculative  investments. 
Even  ministers  of  the  gospel  were  known  to  turn 

271 


272 


LIFE  AND  LABORS  OF 


from  their  sacred  calling  to  engage  in  questionable 
speculations,  only  to  suffer  for  their  folly.  For  a 
man  called  of  God  to  minister  in  holy  things  to 
turn  from  his  high  and  holy  calling  and  engage  in 
worldly  speculations  of  a  questionable  character  is 
fraught  with  serious  consequences. 

God  has  ordained  that  they  who  preach  the  gos- 
pel shall  live  of  the  gospel.  Jesus  says,  "The  work- 
man is  worthy  of  his  meat"  [maintenance].  The 
true  minister  of  Jesus  Christ  is  a  "workman,"  a 
"laborer,"  not  a  "drone,"  not  a  "hireling."  While  he 
goes  forth  without  "purse  or  scrip,"  giving  all  dili- 
gence to  pluck  souls  out  of  the  jaws  of  the  de- 
stroyer, and  to  build  up  the  church  in  righteousness 
and  holiness,  those  whom  he  serves  are  under  obli- 
gation to  supply  his  temporal  needs.  Being  thus 
kept  from  financial  embarrassment  he  will  have  no 
excuse  for  turning  aside  to  engage  in  secular  pur- 
suits. 

In  July,  1904,  I  had  the  pleasure  of  attending  a 
double  dedication  in  Ohio.  Under  the  labors  of 
Rev.  D.  W.  Wesley  a  revival  broke  out  in  Kent, 
Ohio,  resulting  in  the  organization  of  a  good  society 
and  the  purchase  of  a  church  and  parsonage.  The 
dedication  was  a  time  of  temporal  and  spiritual  en- 
couragement to  the  society.  The  power  of  God  came 
on  the  congregation  and  a  number  professed  to  re- 
ceive their  Pentecost.  Elder  F.  C.  Calkins  was  un- 
tiring in  his  effort  for  the  success  of  the  enterprise. 

At  Cleveland  we  found  pastor  L.  G.  Lewis  loaded 
with  the  responsibility  of  an  important  church  en- 
terprise. 

In  1869  Dr.  A.  F.  Curry,  then  of  Buffalo.  New 


BURTON  R.  JONES 


273 


York,  organized  the  first  Free  Methodist  church  of 
Cleveland,  consisting  of  five  members.  Their  first 
place  of  worship  was  a  small  church  on  Pear  street, 
dedicated  by  Rev.  E.  P.  Hart.  Later  the  church 
was  exchanged  for  property  on  the  corner  of  Bridge 
and  Taylor  streets.  Under  the  labors  of  Brother 
L.  the  society  had  been  greatly  built  up,  the  old 
church  thoroughly  over-hauled,  modern  improve- 
ments provided,  thus  making  the  property  commo- 
dious and  attractive.  The  indebtedness  was  all 
provided  for  at  the  dedication  and  the  people  of 
God  were  inspired  anew  to  press  the  battle  in  that 
great  city. 

My  first  visit  to  Glen  Ellyn,  Illinois,  camp- 
ground was  in  July,  1904,  by  invitation  of  the  dis 
trict  elder,  H.  O.  Hubbard.  The  meeting  began  in 
the  Spirit  and  continued  with  increasing  powder  un- 
til the  close.  Seekers  were  at  the  altar  at  nearly  every 
service,  a  number  of  whom  were  reclaimed  or  sanc- 
tified wholly.  Brother  C.  B.  Ebey,  then  editor  of 
The  Ff^ee  Methodist,  w^as  present  several  days  and 
rendered  efficient  service.  His  son,  Clyde  R.,  hav 
ing  been  previously  elected  to  elder's  orders  by  his 
home  conference,  was  ordained  during  that  meet- 
ing. There  were  about  seventy  well-filled  tents  in 
the  encampment,  and  the  pleasant  associations,  to- 
gether with  the  lovely  grounds,  made  it  a  delight- 
ful place  for  such  a  gathering. 

The  meeting  was  both  interesting  and  profitable. 
The  love-feasts  were  seasons  of  special  refreshing. 
Waves  of  glory  broke  over  the  audiences  at  times, 
and  some  would  shout  aloud  for  joy,  while  others 
went  leaping  and  shouting  and  praising  the  Lord 


274 


LIFE  AND  LABORS  OF 


as  in  the  early  days.  No  one  had  reason  to  say  that 
"the  former  days  were  better  than  these,"  for  God 
was  very  near  to  His  people. 

While  it  seems  exceedingly  difficult  for  a  grow- 
ing church  to  keep  humble  and  spiritual  and  hold 
steadily  to  first  principles,  many  went  from  that 
camp-ground  feeling  that  God  is  enabling  the  Free 
Methodists  to  preserve  the  ancient  landmarks,  and 
furnish  the  world  an  example  of  piety  that  is  deep, 
whole-souled,  thorough  and  consistent. 

On  September  3,  1904,  the  church  was  called 
upon  to  record  the  death  of  Rev.  Levi  Wood,  one 
of  her  devoted  and  faithful  ministers.  Brother  W. 
was  identified  with  the  church  in  Western  New 
York  during  her  early  struggles,  and  for  over  forty 
3ears  was  a  member  of  the  Genesee  conference,  serv- 
ing as  pastor,  district  elder  and  evangelist.  He 
was  the  first  editor  of  The  Free  Methodist,  and  in 
that  relation  was  brought  prominently  before  the 
church.  He  was  a  masterly  preacher,  and  when 
fully  in  the  Spirit  his  sermons  were  most  soul-in- 
spiring. 

At  Danville.  Illinois,  October  16,  1904,  a  large 
company  of  the  elect  assembled  to  share  in  the  dedi- 
catory services  of  the  new  church.  It  was  a  blessed 
day.  Tiie  power  of  God  was  displayed  in  every 
service.  My  soul  was  refreshed  while  breaking  the 
bread  of  life  to  others,  and  with  but  little  effort 
|975  was  provided  to  cover  the  remaining  indebted- 
ness. The  success  of  the  enterprise  was  a  glorious 
victory  for  the  cause  of  Free  Methodism  in  that 
city.  Brother  S.  H.  Lewis,  the  pastor,  h:\d  labored 
untiringly  for  the  cause,  loyal Iv  assisted  by  the 


BT'RTOX  R.  JONES 


275 


district  elder,  J.  A.  Watson,  and  they  shared  richly 
in  the  blessedness  of  the  occasion.  On  Monday  I 
returned  to  the  executive  coniniittee  meeting  in  Chi- 
cago, from  which  I  had  been  excused  to  attend  the 
dedication. 

"Since  my  last  annual  report  I  have  labored  with 
in  the  bounds  of  nineteen  annual  conferences,  pre- 
sided at  fifteen  annual  conference  sessions,  dedi- 
cated twelve  churches,  attended  seven  camp-meet- 
ings, held  a  number  of  holiness  conventions  and 
special  evangelistic  services,  involving  over  16,800 
miles  travel.  Those  gatherings  resulted  in  the  con- 
version and  entire  sanctification  of  a  goodly  num- 
ber of  souls,  as  well  as  the  gracious  quickening  and 
strengthening  of  the  church.  The  conferences  at 
which  I  presided  this  year  were,  in  spirituality  and 
the  exercise  of  brotherly  love,  in  advance  of  any 
I  ever  attended.  There  was  no  use  for  even  a  com- 
mittee on  ministerial  relations.  Every  conference 
except  one  reported  an  increase  in  membership  over 
last  year.  In  some  localities  existing  conditions  re- 
tard the  work  of  God.  For  such  conditions  the 
church  is,  in  some  instances,  responsible.  The 
remedy  lies  in  deep  humiliation  before  God.  Whims, 
notions,  strifes,  contentions  and  bickerings  are  all 
swept  away  by  the  incoming  tide  of  divine  power. 
God  is  with  us  as  a  people,  and  honors  our  efforts 
to  promote  pure  and  undefiled  religion.  The 
'mighty  to  save'  is  our  dependence. 

"On  the  Rock  of  ages  founded, 

What  can  shake  thy  sure  repose? 
With  salvation's  walls  surrounded, 
Thou  raayest  smile  at  all  thy  foes." 


CHAPTER  XXXV. 


The  year  1905  opened  on  the  Sabbath  and  found 
me  engaged  in  a  holiness  convention  at  xVthmta, 
Georgia,  that  being  my  first  visit  to  that  part  of 
our  work.  The  services  were  enjoyable  and  fruit- 
ful, a  goodly  number  being  saved  and  sanctified. 
Rev.  E.  E.  Shelhamer  and  his  co-workers  were  spar- 
ing no  toil  or  sacrifice  to  establish  the  gospel  tyjje 
of  religion  in  that  needy  field.  A  few  Free  Method- 
ist societies  have  been  organized  in  the  state  and  it 
is  hoped  that  by  steady  jjerseverance  the  work  may 
be  sufficiently  enlarged  to  warrant  the  organization 
of  an  annual  conference  in  Georgia. 

Having  held  the  meeting  that  resulted  in  the  or- 
ganization of  the  first  Free  Methodist  society  in 
Battle  Creek,  Michigan,  it  was  a  ])leasure  for  me 
to  be  present  at  the  dedication  of  the  new  church 
in  that  city,  March  7,  1005.  It  was  a  time  of  the 
gracious  manifestation  of  the  Infinite  Presence.  The 
Lord  had  greatly  blest  the  labors  of  Brother  and 
Sister  D.  J.  VanAntwerp  in  building  up  the  spir- 
itual and  temporal  interests  of  the  work  during 
the  three  years  of  their  pastorate.  On  December 
0,  1876,  we  "struck  the  first  blow"  in  that  city, 
and  now  there  is  a  thriving  society  and  a  fine 
church.  Brother  Albert  Benton  was  the  only  char- 
ter member  that  was  present  at  the  dedication. 

I  was  deeply  impressed  with  the  singing  on  that 

276 


BURTON  It.  JONES 


277 


occasion.  Young  and  old  entered  into  it  most 
heartily.  The  hymns  and  songs  used  were  not  of 
the  light,  sentimental  order,  but  expressive  of  deep 
Christian  sentiment  and  attended  with  the  unction 
of  the  Holy  Spirit.  It  was  such  singing  as  arouses 
deep  soul  emotion.  I  am  fully  convinced  that  while 
our  singing  in  most  societies  may  be  greatly  im- 
proved, our  salvation  hymns  and  songs  far  excel  in 
depth,  purity  of  sentiment  and  wearing  qualities 
any  and  all  of  the  so-called  "up-to-date"  songs. 
Such  standard  hymns  as  "Rock  of  Ages,  Cleft  for 
Me,"  "Jesus  Lover  of  My  Soul,"  "Zion  Stands  with 
Hills  Surrounded,"  "When  I  Survey  the  Wondrous 
Cross,"  and  others  in  tlie  church  hymn-book,  are  in 
my  judgment,  unexcelled  by  anything  yet  produced. 
Many  of  the  songs  of  recent  production  are  so  light 
and  sentimental  that  their  use  tends  to  dampen 
rather  than  kindle  the  true  devotional  spirit.  Some 
songs  w^hich  express  fairly  good  sentiment  are 
set  to  rag-time  music,  and  sound  so  light  and 
flippant  as  to  render  them  entirely  inappropriate 
for  religious  gatherings.  People  who  shout  and  run 
and  waltz  in  cold  blood,  simply  to  create  excite- 
ment and  "draw  a  crowd,"  must  have  music 
adapted  to  that  line  of  things;  but  where  the  Holy 
Ghost  is  expected  to  inspire  the  demonstrations, 
salvation  songs  and  hymns  are  always  suited  to  the 
purpose. 

On  the  fortieth  anniversary  of  my  conversion  I 
made  the  following  entry  in  my  diary : 

"March  10,  1905. — Forty  years  ago  to-night  I  re- 
ceived Christ  as  my  Savior.  How  much  real  hap- 
piness has  been  crowded  into  those  forty  years.  Sad 


278 


LIFE  AND   LABORS  OF 


would  have  been  my  life  without  the  Savior.  I 
owe  my  all  to  him.  He  is  graciously  near  to  me 
now." 

A  few  days  later  I  made  my  last  visit  to  the 
home  of  Brother  and  Sister  C.  S.  Gitchell  at  Ho- 
bart,  Michigan.  Though  aging  rapidly,  they  were 
enjoying  much  of  the  Master's  presence.  Their  la- 
bors have  been  greatly  blessed  and  many  have  been 
won  to  Christ  through  their  instrumentality. 

In  company  with  Elder  D.  G.  Briggs  I  made  my 
first  visit  to  Sault  Ste.  Marie,  April  25th.  The  pas- 
tor, J.  E.  Sanders,  had  planned  for  a  successful 
meeeting  and  he  was  not  disappointed.  The  serv- 
ices were  largely  attended  and  brought  special  en- 
couragement to  the  church.  That  city  is  the  key 
to  our  work  in  the  north  peninsula  of  Michigan 
and  the  field  is  a  promising  one. 

June  9-13,  1905,  was  an  important  occasion  for 
Spring  Arbor,  it  being  the  date  of  the  annual  com- 
mencement exercises  and  the  dedication  of  the  new 
administration  building.  It  was  a  time  of  special 
intellectual  and  spiritual  uplift  to  both  students 
and  visitors.  The  exercises  of  the  different  depart- 
ments were  exceptionally  entertaining  and  the  spir- 
itual tide  ran  high.  Sunday  was  a  memorable  day. 
In  the  morning  the  new  building  was  dedicated 
with  appropriate  exercises.  Its  erection,  made  pos- 
sible by  the  untiring  efforts  of  Rev.  H.  D.  F.  Gaffin, 
add.s  greatly  to  the  educational  facilities  of  the 
school.  The  annual  sermon  Sunday  evening  by  Rev. 
C.  W.  Stamp  was  able,  eloquent  and  inspiring.  Pro- 
fessor Warner's  address  to  the  graduating  class 
was  full  of  wise  and  timely  suggestions. 


BURTON  11.  JONES 


270 


There  seemed  to  be  no  lack  of  loyalty  and  enthu- 
siasm among  the  friends  of  the  institution  and  its 
influence  is  far-reaching.  It  has  since  been  blessed 
with  steadily  increasing  prosperity  under  the  man- 
ao^ement  of  Professor  Burton  Jones  Vincent,  while 
the  standard  of  simplicity  and  spirituality  as  held 
by  the  church  is  fully  maintained. 

Amid  such  a  spiritual  atmosphere  as  accom- 
panied those  exercises  it  would  be  exceedingly  diffi- 
cult to  conceive  of  true  devotion  as  merely  intellec- 
tual— "a  dispassionate  exercise  of  the  understand- 
ing'^ — without  any  warm  emotions  or  vehement  af- 
fections of  the  heart.  True  devotion,  though 
rational,  is  often  fervent  and  enraptured. 

The  most  blessed  session  of  the  Platte  River  con- 
ference at  which  I  was  ever  privileged  to  preside 
up  to  that  time  was  held  at  Orleans,  Nebraska, 
August  16-20,  1905.  An  unusual  spirit  of  devotion 
to  the  church  and  its  mission  was  manifested 
throughout  the  entire  session.  The  religious  serv- 
ices were  excellent,  many  souls  receiving  help.  The 
climax  w^as  reached  Sunday  night,  when  about 
twenty  seekers  responded  to  the  altar  call,  nearly 
all  of  whom  were  set  free  some  time  during  the 
night.  The  seminary,  under  the  management  of 
Professor  Ghormley,  had  enjoyed  a  prosperous 
year,  and  there  was  a  general  inspiration  of  cour- 
age and  faith  for  both  church  and  school  work. 

An  affecting  scene  attended  the  baptismal  serv- 
ice at  Mason  City,  Iowa,  during  the  session  of  the 
Minnesota  and  Northern  Iowa  conference,  Septem- 
ber 10,  1905.  Three  children  were  presented  for  bap- 
tism.   The  parents  of  one  of  them  were  unsaved. 


280 


LIFE  AND  LABORS  OF 


But  SO  manifest  was  the  presence  of  God  at  that 
service  that  those  unsaved  parents  began  at  once  to 
cry  for  mercy  and  were  saved  before  leaving  the 
altar.  A  few  minutes  later  they  united  with  the 
church.  The  scene  was  most  inspiring,  and  quite 
significant  as  indicating  God's  approval  of  the  bap- 
tism of  infants.  At  night  another  soul  was  saved 
and  the  conference  session  ended  most  gloriously. 

My  annual  report  for  1005  will  give  some  idea 
of  the  general  condition  of  the  work  within  the 
bounds  of  the  conferences  in  which  I  labored  dur- 
ing the  year : 

''The  conference  year  has  been  a  busy  one  to  me, 
but  attended  with  much  of  the  presence  and  bless- 
ing of  the  Lord.  The  meetings  and  conferences  I 
have  been  privileged  to  attend  have  been  interest- 
ing and  profitable.  I  have  labored  within  the 
bounds  of  seventeen  conferences,  attending  four 
camp-meetings,  several  holiness  conventions,  ten 
dedications,  a  number  of  special  services,  and  pre- 
sided at  nine  annual  conference  sessions,  all  in- 
volving about  9,000  miles  of  travel. 

"The  camp-meetings  and  conferences  were  nearly 
all  exceptionally  harmonious  and  spiritual,  being 
an  inspiration  to  both  the  ministry  and  the  laity. 
And  what  is  most  encouraging  and  satisfactory  to 
the  gospel  minister,  I  have  been  privileged  to  wit- 
ness the  conversion  and  entire  sanctification  of  pre- 
cious souls. 

"With  rare  exceptions  the  societies  I  have  vis- 
ited are  holding  close  to  original  principles,  faith- 
fully resisting  the  encroachments  of  the  world,  and 
striving  to  maintain  the  spiritual  life.    Any  other 


BUliTON  n.  JONES 


281 


course  must  prove  fatal  to  Free  Methodism  and 
the  highest  interests  of  the  chnrch.  AVe  must  hohl 
lirmly  to  the  Bible  standard  of  inward  and  outward 
holiness." 

While  presiding  at  annual  conferences  1  have 
often  been  impressed  with  the  thought  of  the  re- 
sponsibility of  the  Christian  ministry.  If  the 
church  is  to  remain  humble,  spiritual  and  aggres- 
sive the  ministry  must  stand  out  in  the  forefront. 
To  a  great  extent  the  minister  molds  the  character 
of  the  church  and  gives  to  it  its  moral  tone.  The 
Lord  holds  him  largely  responsible  for  the  care 
and  welfare  of  His  people.  He  is  to  feed  the  flock 
of  God,  and  cry  out  against  the  encroachments  of 
Satan.  God's  word  to  the  Christian  ministry  is, 
''Son  of  man,  I  have  made  thee  a  watchman  unto 
the  house  of  Israel :  therefore  hear  the  word  at  My 
mouth,  and  give  them  warning  from  Me."  The  duty 
of  the  minister — the  watchman — is  to  look  to  the 
safety  of  those  under  his  care,  to  labor  to  edify 
them  and  promote  their  eternal  salvation. 


CHAPTER  XXXVI. 


For  eight  years  as  president  of  the  general  mis- 
Bionary  board  I  had  noted  with  interest  the  steady 
growth  of  our  foreign  missionary  work.  In  1895 
Rev.  W.  W.  Kelley  and  wife  and  Rev.  G.  H.  Agnew 
began  labor  at  Inhanibane  on  the  east  coast  of 
Africa.  We  now  have  well  established  mission  vSta- 
tions  in  Africa,  India,  Japan  and  China.  Of  the 
toil  and  hardship  endured  in  establishing  our  work 
in  those  foreign  fields  much  remains  unwritten. 

At  the  annual  session  of  the  executive  committee 
held  in  1904,  Superintendent  Sellew  was  appointed 
to  visit  the  foreign  fields,  study  their  needs  and 
plan  for  still  more  aggressive  work.  His  visit  to 
Africa  resulted  in  the  organization  of  the  South 
Africa  Mission  conference,  October  11,  1005,  with 
the  following  named  preachers  in  full  connection: 
J.  P.  Brodhead,  A.  E.  Haley,  Jules  Ryflf,  J.  W. 
Haley,  Carroll  Smith.  W.  A.  Backenstoe  was  re- 
ceived on  trial.  The  following  were  admitted  as 
acting  missionary  members :  F.  Grace  Allen,  Lucy 
A.  Hartman,  Margaret  A.  Nickel. 

This  event  marked  an  epoch  in  the  history  of  our 
missionary  work  in  which  every  member  of  the 
church  should  feel  a  deep  interest.  We  have  reason 
to  hope  that  our  foreign  work  will  experience  a 
steady  growth ;  and  the  church  is  praying  and  sac- 
rificing that  Africa,  India,  Japan  and  China  may 

282 


BURTON  K.  JONES 


2S3 


witness  the  deliverance  of  many  souls  from  the 
deep  degradation  and  superstition  of  heathenism. 

During  the  early  part  of  190G  I  assisted  in  spe- 
cial meetings  at  different  places  throughout  the 
church.  At  every  point  I  visited  there  was  a  felt 
need  of  a  genuine  Pentecostal  revival.  Such  re- 
vivals, however,  are  not  mere  happenings,  but  the 
result  of  well-directed  effort.  It  is  quite  as  rea- 
sonable and  philosophical  to  use  means  to  promote 
the  work  of  God  as  it  is  to  plow  and  sow  to  secure 
harvest.  In  the  use  of  appropriate  means,  no  work 
can  be  undertaken  with  greater  certainty  of  suc- 
cess than  that  of  soul-saving.  The  prayer  of  faith, 
the  preaching  of  the  Word,  the  outpoured  Spirit 
are  essential  factors  in  revival  work.  The  power 
to  pray  and  preach  and  labor  so  as  to  awaken  souls 
and  draw  them  to  Christ  lies  in  the  possession  of 
the  Holy  Spirit.  That  is  the  pressing  need  of  the 
twentieth  century  church.  All  the  available  re- 
sources of  the  church  will  prove  ineffectual  in  the 
work  of  soul-saving  unless  fired  by  the  Holy  Spirit. 
The  ministry  and  the  laity,  the  young  and  the  old, 
all  should  wait  before  the  Lord  until  they  receive 
the  anointing  from  on  high.  Then,  and  only  then, 
can  the  church  look  with  any  degree  of  assurance 
for  a  general  revival  of  "pure  and  undeflled  re- 
ligion." 

In  April,  by  invitation  of  Elder  J.  A.  Manning, 
I  spent  three  weeks  on  his  district  in  the  Kansas 
conference,  dedicating  a  church  at  lola,  at  Climax 
and  at  Pittsburg,  all  in  the  state  of  Kansas.  The 
visit  was  both  pleasant  and  profitable.  God  set 
His  seal  on  the  enterprises  by  saving  and  sanctify- 


284 


LIFE  AND  LABORS  OF 


ing  a  number  of  souls.  Waves  of  glory  swept  over 
the  audiences  at  different  times,  filling  our  hearts 
with  jov  unspeakable.  The  spirits  of  the  saints 
were  lifted  heavenward  and  we  felt  that  the  world 
was  growing  smaller  and  heaven  becoming  brighter. 

On  the  morning  of  April  ISth,  the  whole  civilized 
world  was  startled  bv  the  sad  news  that  a  terrible 
earthquake,  without  parallel  in  the  history  of  the 
United  States,  had  struck  the  Pacific  coast,  wreck 
ing  the  cities  of  San  Francisco  and  Santa  Rosa 
and  seriously  damaging  other  California  cities  and 
towns.  In  San  Francisco  the  ruin  wrought  was 
beyond  description.  The  city  suddenly  became  a 
vast  sea  of  fire,  raging  for  several  days  until  nearly 
the  whole  city  was  destroyed.  Those  grand,  pala- 
tial buildings  were  reduced  to  smouldering  ruins. 
Hundreds  of  lives  were  lost  and  millions  of  dollars 
in  projjerty  destroyed.  Perilous  times  followed. 
Multitudes  left  homeless  and  destitute  thronged 
the  streets  of  adjoining  cities,  begging  for  food  and 
.shelter.  Tents  were  set  up,  houses  thrown  open 
and  the  suffering  cared  for  as  fully  as  possible.  The 
excitement  was  intense.  A  marvelous  feeling  of 
sympathy  and  human-kindness  was  aroused 
throughout  the  world.  Train-loads  of  supplies  were 
shipped  to  the  stricken  cities  and  millions  of  dol- 
lars were  contributed  by  all  classes  and  conditions 
of  people. 

As  a  denomination  we  had  reason  to  thank  God 
that  none  of  our  church  property  was  destroyed 
and  none  of  our  people  seriously  injured.  Bv.t 
every  one  should  learn  the  lesson  of  the  uncertainty 
of  all  things  earthly  and  make  due  preparation  for 


BURTON  R.  JONES 


285 


the  more  momentous  crisis  that  is  approaching. 
God  says,  "Yet  once  more  I  shake  not  the  earth 
only  but  also  heaven." 

At  Spring  Arbor,  June  10,  190G,.  I  preached  my 
fourth  annual  sermon  at  the  seminary.  Subject: 
Character  Building.  Text:  Matt.  7:24,  25.  The 
graduating  class  was  composed  of  fourteen  promis- 
ing young  people,  several  of  whom  are  now  doing 
efficient  gospel  work  in  the  church.  It  was  the 
largest  class  ever  graduated  by  the  seminary  up 
to  that  time. 

En  route  to  the  great  Northwest  in  June,  I  at- 
tended .  an  interesting  camp-meeting  at  Huron, 
South  Dakota,  in  charge  of  Elder  Whiteside,  and 
another  at  Fairmont,  Minnesota.  Passing  over  the 
"Soo  Line"  I  reached  Moosejaw,  Saskatchewan, 
July  4,  1906. 

In  1898,  Rev.  W.  H.  Wilson  was  appointed  by  the 
West  Ontario  conference  as  '^missionary  to  Mani- 
toba and  the  Northwest."  Brother  W.  found  a 
large,  uncultivated  field  before  him.  He  entered 
upon  his  mission  with  firm  faith  in  God,  sought 
divine  guidance  in  his  plans  and  labors,  and  after 
eight  years  of  toil  and  sacrifice  saw  the  desire  of 
his  heart  in  the  formation  of  a  new  conference  in 
that  western  field. 

July  17,  1906,  the  following  note  appeared  in 
The  Free  Methodist:  ''General  Superintendent  B. 
K.  Jones  writes  from  Moosejaw,  under  date  of  July 
5th,  as  follows :  'The  Western  Canada  conference 
was  duly  organized  at  two  p.  m.  to-day,  with  six 
preachers  in  full  connection.  A  blessed  spirit  pre- 
vails.  The  pilgrims  are  being  inspired  for  increased 


280 


LIFE  AND  LABORS  OF 


aggressiveness  in  this  great  Northwest.  The  field 
is  immense.  8ome  are  present  from  a  distance  of 
over  600  miles.  A  goodly  number  of  God's  elect 
are  scattered  over  this  broad  field  and  a  gracious 
ingathering  may  be  expected.-  ' ' 

The  new  conference,  duly  organized  and  equipped, 
entered  upon  its  mission  full  of  faith  and  courage. 
A  deep  interest  was  shown  in  the  business  of  the 
conference,  and  the  stationing  committee  demon- 
strated rare  efficiency  in  completing  its  work  in 
about  one  hour,  and  did  it  well.  I  received  a  royal 
welcome  from  all  in  attendance,  and  was  blessed 
in  my  ministrations.  I  shared  the  warm  hospi- 
tality of  Brother  and  Sister  Steer,  formerly  of  the 
East  Michigan  conference. 

In  company  with  my  daughter  Mabel  it  was  my 
Ijrivilege  to  spend  a  few  days  at  the  Pittsburg  camp- 
meeting,  which  was  held  in  a  beautiful  grove  on 
Glenwood  avenue,  closing  July  22,  1906.  It  was  an 
unusually  large  gathering,  there  being  over  one 
hundred  family  tents  on  the  ground.  It  was  esti- 
mated that  from  2,500  to  3,500  people  gathered  at 
the  night  services,  manifesting  a  deep  interest  in 
the  exercises.  The  meeting  was  in  charge  of  Elder 
A.  D.  Zahniser,  ably  assisted  by  Pastor  J.  N.  Mc- 
Kim.  These  brethren  showed  marked  skill  in  the 
management  of  all  the  details  connected  with  such 
a  large  encampment.  Brothers  J.  F.  Silver,  Albert 
Wilson,  Oliver  Gornall,  E.  E.  Shelhamer  and  H.  A. 
Baldwin,  the  other  district  elders  of  the  confer- 
ence, were  present  and  labored  faithfully  in  the 
meeting.  The  pastors  and  evangelists  present  en- 
tered into  the  spirit  of   the  occasion  and  helped 


BURTON  R.  JONES 


287 


push  the  battle  along.  The  services  were  interest- 
ing and  spiritual,  a  large  number  responding  to 
nearly  every  altar  call.  The  work  of  regeneration 
and  entire  sanctification  ran  parallel  at  the  altar 
services,  and  a  goodly  number  were  converted  or 
reclaimed,  while  a  still  greater  number  were  wholly 
sanctified.  A  better  type  of  Free  Methodism  than 
was  seen  on  that  ground  would  be  difficult  to  find. 

In  August,  190G,  Mrs.  Jones  and  our  daughter 
Ruth  accompanied  me  to  the  dedication  of  the 
''First  Free  Methodist  Church  of  China,"  located 
about  five  miles  out  from  St.  Clair,  Michigan.  The 
church  is  built  of  cement  blocks,  neat  and  substan- 
tial, and  represents  much  labor  and  sacrifice  on 
the  part  of  the  lovers  of  the  pure  gospel  in  that 
locality.  The  spiritual  interests  were  '^just  toler- 
able only,''  yet  the  occasion  was  one  of  encourage- 
ment to  many  who  were  present.  The  pastor,  E. 
A.  Thomas,  and  Israel  Mudge  were  in  the  Spirit 
and  rendered  valuable  assistance  in  raising  the  re- 
maining indebtedness.  We  had  a  very  agreeable 
time  and  were  warmly  entertained  at  the  home  of 
Brother  and  Sister  Robertson,  who  were  faithful 
supporters  of  the  work  there.  Our  trips  about  the 
neighborhood  on  a  hay-rack  were  rather  unique  and 
somewhat  taxing,  but  afforded  an  interesting  vari- 
ety to  the  program.  Our  return  trip  of  about  sixty 
miles  down  St.  Clair  R^ver  on  the  steamer  Owana 
was  decidedly  refreshing. 

One  of  the  most  blessed  sessions  of  the  West 
Kansas  conference  at  which  I  had  been  privileged 
to  preside  was  held  at  Osborne,  Kansas,  August 
22-26,  1906.    The  interest  was  remarkable.  The 


28S 


LIFE  AND   LABORS  OF 


Lord  gave  me  special  help  in  addressing  the  confer- 
ence. On  one  occasion  while  considering  the  funda- 
mental principles  of  the  church  and  urging  loyalty 
to  those  principles  the  glory  of  the  Highest  came 
upon  us.  Such  a  scene  as  followed  is  seldom  wit- 
nessed. Nearly  the  whole  audience  surged  toward 
the  altar  weeping  and  shouting,  running  and  leap- 
ing and  praising  the  Lord.  It  was  a  genuine  Pente 
costal  scene,  ^'ows  were  confirmed,  consecrations 
renewed,  and  the  saints  pledged  uncompromising 
loyalty  to  God  and  His  cause.  Thank  God  for  such 
a  sweeping  victory  I  There  were  many  clear  con- 
versions at  the  public  services  and  all  felt  that  the 
conference  had  been  most  successful  and  profitable. 

Memories  of  the  Sabbath  services  at  the  Central 
niinois  conference  held  at  Greenville,  Illinois,  Sep- 
tember 10-2:3.  1906,  will  not  soon  be  effaced.  Of 
those  services  I  made  the  following  record :  "Glo- 
rious day.  Love-feast  excellent.  Morning  text, 
Matt.  5:  8.  Had  divine  help  in  preaching.  When 
about  half  through  with  my  sermon  the  glory 
cloud  broke  over  the  vast  audience  and  for  about 
ten  minutes  the  sound  of  the  praises  and  hallelu- 
jahs of  the  saints  filled  the  place.  What  a  scene  I 
Souls  were  saved  at  the  night  service.'' 

At  the  request  of  President  Whitcomb  the  con- 
ference went  in  a  body  to  the  college  auditorium 
where  I  was  privileged  to  address  a  fine  body  of 
students.  The  general  expression  of  the  conference 
was,  '"God  is  doing  a  great  work  through  Green- 
ville College."  Character  is  being  formed  and  a 
type  of  manhood  and  womanhood  developed  that 
is  destined  to  bless  the  world. 


BURTON  K.  JONES 


289 


In  the  providence  of  God  a  good  church  building 
was  donated  to  the  Free  Methodists  of  Columbus, 
Ohio,  by  a  sister  church,  and  re-dedicated  Decem- 
ber IG,  1906.  The  services  were  held  in  connection 
with  a  district  quarterly  meeting,  in  charge  of  Eld- 
er Wesley.  It  seemed  as  though  those  who  stood 
under  tlie  work  in  that  city  had  been  confronted 
with  problems  of  more  than  ordinary  perplexity, 
but  a  brighter  day  had  dawned  and  the  pilgrims 
had  reason  to  rejoice  and  be  glad.  I  was  pleased 
to  be  entertained  at  the  home  of  Brother  and  Sis- 
ter Easton  who  were  saved  and  united  with  the 
church  in  a  meeting  we  held  near  Columbus  in 
1880. 

During  the  year  1906  I  was  more  ''abundant  in 
labors"  than  I  had  been  during  any  previous  year 
of  my  superintendency.  I  labored  within  the 
bounds  of  twenty-two  annual  conferences.  It  was 
my  banner  year  for  dedications,  being  privileged  to 
assist  in  nineteen  dedicatory  services.  Many  of 
our  gatherings  Avere  seasons  of  special  refreshing. 
At  nearly  every  conference  session  a  spirit  of  en- 
couragement and  brotherly  love  prevailed.  But 
few  gave  evidence  of  having  l^ecome  "weary  in  well 
doing."  The  effect  of  such  gatherings  has  been  and 
must  ever  be  to  inspire  both  the  ministry  and  the 
laity  to  pursue  with  ever  increasing  intensity  the 
course  originally  outlined  for  the  church.  The  work 
in  some  localities  has  suffered  for  the  want  of  wise, 
energetic,  devoted  pastors.  Some  otherwise  effi- 
cient men  impair  their  usefulness  by  unwise  meth- 
ods. There  is  great  need  of  more  efficient  workers. 
God  alone  can  raise  them  up  and  send  them  forth. 


CHAPTER  XXXVII. 


Our  visit  to  the  Pacific  Coast  conferences  in  the 
Sfjring  of  1907  was  exceedingly  interesting  and 
profitable.  Each  session  was  attended  with  the 
signal  manifestations  of  the  presence  and  power  of 
God.  The  reports  of  the  preachers  showed  an  en- 
couraging gain  in  membership  over  former  years 
and  a  general  feeling  of  encouragement  was  mani- 
fest among  both  ministry  and  laity.  Many  of  the 
business  sittings  as  well  as  the  religious  services 
were  most  soul-refreshing  seasons.  The  reports  at 
the  Washington  conference  showed  that  it  had  been 
a  banner  year  for  Seattle  Seminary,  and  those  con- 
nected with  the  institution  were  full  of  faith  and 
courage  for  its  future  prosperity. 

En  route  to  the  Oregon  conference  I  was  privi- 
leged to  attend  one  service  at  Portland  Mission, 
then  in  charge  of  Brother  A.  Wells.  It  was  a  pre- 
cious season.  One  soul  was  saved,  one  sanctified. 
Such  definite  results  are  soul-inspiring  to  those 
who  are  under  the  burden  of  the  work.  The  Ore- 
gon conference  was  held  at  Ashland.  Much  of  the 
divine  blessing  was  experienced.  Brother  John 
Glenn  was  full  of  faith  and  courage  at  that  session, 
and  a  few  months  later  crossed  the  line  of  worlds. 
The  new  church  was  dedicated  during  the  Sunday 
services.  Those  present  will  not  soon  forget  the 
excitement  created  by  the  fearful  storm  that  swept 


290 


BURTON  K.  JONES 


291 


over  the  place,  leveling  the  tabernacle  to  the 
ground.  While  some  were  bruised  by  the  falling 
timbers,  no  one  was  seriously  injured. 

The  Southern  California  conference  was  held  in 
June  in  connection  with  a  camp-meeting  in  Mineral 
Park,  Los  Angeles.  On  Sunday  the  large  pavilion 
was  crowded  to  its  utmost  capacity.  The  greatest 
liberty  attended  the  services.  The  modern  "tongue'' 
movement  with  its  erroneous  teachings  seemed  to 
afford  a  strange  fascination  for  a  few  of  our  peo- 
ple, but  the  delusion  was  clearly  and  fearlessly  ex- 
posed at  the  conference,  and  God  set  His  seal  on  the 
truth  so  unmistakably  that  all  who  were  enquiring 
for  the  true  light  were  greatly  encouraged.  At  the 
Sunday  morning  service  the  tide  of  glory  swept 
over  the  vast  audience  and  the  shouts  of  the  saints 
rolled  on  and  on,  while  our  hearts  were  thrilled 
with  hallowed  melody.  Such  music  does  not  fall 
upon  the  ears  of  mortal  beings  every  day.  Pro- 
fessor N.  J.  Davis  took  a  deep  interest  in  the  work 
of  the  conference,  and  we  little  thought  his  end 
was  so  near.  David  McLeod,  the  newly  elected 
district  elder,  felt  very  keenly  the  responsibilities 
attaching  to  his  office. 

During  my  short  stay  in  Los  Angeles  I  called  at 
the  home  of  Brother  and  Sister  Ulrich  who  were 
sanctified  and  brought  into  the  Free  Methodist 
church  under  my  labors  at  Three  Rivers,  Michigan, 
in  1875.  They  are  still  true  to  God  and  the  church. 
The  rehearsal  of  the  scenes  of  those  early  years  was 
interesting  and  refreshing. 

In  company  with  Brothers  Cochran,  Edwards 
and  Smith,  I  took  train  June  4,  1907,  en  route  for 


292 


LIFE  AND   LABORS  OF 


the  East,  passing  through  Salt  Lake  City,  reaching 
Orleans,  Nebraska,  on  the  8th.  By  invitation  of 
Professor  A.  J.  Damon  I  enjoyed  the  commence- 
ment exercises  at  the  seminary  and  preached  the 
annual  sermon.  A  prosperous  school  year  was  re- 
ported. 

Our  company  reached  Greenville,  Illinois,  in  time 
for  the  first  sitting  of  the  twelfth  general  confer- 
ence of  the  Free  Methodist  church,  which  was  held 
in  that  city.  June  12-28,  1907.  Of  the  one  hundred 
twenty-seven  delegates  composing  that  body  over 
sixty  had  never  been  members  of  a  general  confei 
ence  before.  It  was  evident  from  the  first  that 
those  present  as  representatives  of  the  church  were 
deeply  impressed  with  the  importance  of  the  work 
before  them,  and  felt  keenly  the  need  of  the  most 
careful  consideration,  devout  prayerfulness  and 
conservative  action  in  all  their  deliberations  and 
conclusions.  Vrhile  there  were  honest  differences  of 
opinion,  no  serious  division  of  sentiment  was  cre- 
ated by  the  discussions  of  that  body.  The  problems 
considered  and  the  decisions  reached  were  of  vital 
importance  to  the  church. 

For  the  first  time  in  the  history  of  the  church 
representatives  from  the  foreign  field  were  ad 
mitted  to  seats  in  the  general  conference.  When  J. 
P.  Brodhead  and  F.  Grace  Allen  were  introduced 
as  delegates  from  the  South  Africa  Mission  confer 
ence,  they  were  warmly  received  amid  the  shouts 
and  tears  of  the  great  audience. 

Several  hours  were  given  to  the  consideration  of 
a  proposed  amendment  to  the  Discipline  providing 
for  the  introduction  of  instrumental  music  in  our 


BUK'iOX  II.  JOXKS 


293 


public  worship.  Tlie  Giscussiou  was  the  most  thor- 
ough and  spirited  1  had  ever  lieard  ou  the  subject 
at  a  general  conference,  yet  it  was  characterized 
throughout  by  kindness  and  fairness.  Amid  the 
voluminous  discussions  there  was  a  note  of  con- 
servatism and  good  sense,  born  of  a  clear  recogni- 
tion of  the  responsibilities  to  be  assumed  in  such 
a  radical  departure  from  the  original  polity  of  the 
church.  The  final  vote  was  almost  unanimous  in 
favor  of  maintaining  the  established  position  of  the 
church  on  the  question.  It  looks  as  though  the  or- 
gan will  not  be  admitted  to  membership  in  the  Free 
Methodist  church  for  several  generations  to  come. 

The  election  of  general  church  officers  awakened 
the  usual  degree  of  interest.  The  hour  for  such 
election  having  been  previously  fixed  insured  a  full 
house  of  interested  people.  On  the  first  ballot  E. 
P.  Hart.  B.  K.  Jones,  W.  A.  Sellew  and  W.  T. 
Hogue  were  re-elected  general  superintendents,  and 
at  a  later  sitting  it  was  decided  to  change  the 
official  title  to  "bishop."  J.  T.  Logan  was  elected 
editor  of  The  Free  Methodist;  D.  S.  Warner,  edi- 
tor of  the  Sunday-school  literature;  W.  B.  Rose, 
publishing  agent;  B.  Winget,  general  missionary 
secretary;  W.  B.  Olmstead,  general  Sunday-school 
secretary;  C.  W.  Stamp,  S.  K.  Wheatlake  and  J. 
H.  Flower,  general  conference  evangelists. 

An  amendment  was  made  to  the  Discipline  in- 
volving quite  a  radical  change  in  the  polity  of  the 
church,  providing  that  women  evangelists  who  have 
been  licensed  by  an  annual  conference,  and  have 
served  two  successive  years  as  pastor  may,  upon 
recommendation  of  the  quarterly  conference,  have 


294 


LIFE  AND  LABORS  OF 


a  voice  and  vote  in  the  annual  conference;  such  re- 
lation to  continue  only  while  acting  as  pastor. 

The  consideration  of  this  amendment  involved  a 
lengthy  and  spirited  discussion,  but  it  was  finally 
adopted  by  a  good  majority.  Thus  far  it  has  oper- 
ated very  satisfactorily  in  the  annual  conferences. 

It  was  at  this  session  that  our  first  order  of  dea- 
conesses was  authorized,  the  details  of  which  were 
afterward  planned  by  the  general  missionary  board 
and  approved  by  the  executive  committee.  During 
the  two  years  that  have  elapsed  since  the  order  was 
adopted  but  few  have  been  elected  to  the  office. 

Although  a  number  of  disciplinary  changes  were 
made  by  that  conference,  there  was  no  pronounced 
disposition  to  depart  in  anywise  from  original 
principles.  The  religious  services  were  deeply  spir- 
itual, and  the  one  aim  seemed  to  be  to  glorify  God 
and  advance  His  cause.  The  general  conference 
of  1907  will  go  down  in  history  as  one  of  the  most 
harmonious  and  spiritual  of  the  general  gatherings 
of  the  church,  thus  rendering  the  outlook  for  the 
future  of  the  Free  Methodist  church  very  encour- 
aging. That  the  church  is  not  departing  from  orig- 
inal principles  was  fully  demonstrated  by  the  spirit 
and  enactments  of  that  general  conference.  The 
strictest  measures,  affecting  the  doctrines,  princi- 
ples and  practises  of  the  church,  were  supported  by 
large  majorities.  All  honor  is  due  to  a  people  who 
dare  maintain  their  position  against  the  time- 
serving tendencies  of  the  age.  We  may  safely  chal- 
lenge the  world  to  duplicate  such  a  host  of  God 
fearing,  humble,  holy,  self-sacrificing  men  and 
women  as  assembled  at  that  general  conference. 


BURTON  R.  JONES 


295 


Personally,  I  regard  it  an  honor  to  be  identified 
with  such  a  people. 

A  number  of  friends  gathered  at  our  home  in 
Jackson,  Michigan,  August  1,  1907,  it  being  the  oc- 
casion of  the  marriage  of  our  daughter,  Ella  Mabel, 
to  Jacob  Mover.  They  were  both  converted  early 
in  life  and  their  lives  are  consecrated  to  God.  At 
this  time  (lOOD)  they  are  members  of  the  faculty 
of  our  denominational  college  at  Greenville,  Illinois. 
What  a  comfort  to  Christian  parents  to  have  their 
children  saved  and  to  know  that  they  are  living  to 
honor  God  and  make  the  world  better.  ''I  have  no 
greater  joy  than  to  hear  that  my  children  walk  in 
truth." 

On  October  27th  I  was  privileged  to  assist  in  the 
dedication  of  the  new  church  at  Ypsilanti,  Mich- 
igan. For  many  years  our  people  had  labored  to 
establish  the  work  in  that  city,  with  alternate  suc- 
cess and  failure.  Under  the  labors  of  Rev.  J.  G. 
Anderson  a  goodly  number  were  saved,  a  good  class 
organized,  and  a  commodious  church  built.  The 
dedication  was  a  season  of  special  interest.  The 
indebtedness  was  provided  for,  the  saints  refreshed, 
and  several  saved  and  united  with  the  church. 
Among  the  pillars  of  the  church  there  is  Walter 
Haynes,  whose  father  was  among  the  early  minis- 
ters of  the  Michigan  conference.  It  is  inspiring 
to  see  the  young  people  rising  up  to  fill  the  places 
of  those  who  have  fallen  on  the  field. 

Nineteen  hundred  seven  furnished  an  unusual 
record  of  deaths  among  prominent  men  of  the 
church. 

On  July  3d  that  honored  man  of  God,  Rev.  G.  W. 


290 


LIFE  AND  LABORS  OF 


Coleman,  passed  to  his  eternal  reward.  For  many 
years  he  served  the  church  faithfully  and  efficient- 
ly in  the  different  offices  to  which  he  was  called. 
At  the  general  conference  at  Coopersville,  Mich- 
igan, in  1886,  he  was  elected  general  superintend- 
ent, which  honored  office  he  filled  with  general  ac- 
ceptability until  declining  health  necessitated  his 
retirement.  His  true  devotion,  deep  piety  and  clear 
scriptural  preaching  won  the  confidence  and  esteem 
of  the  church.  His  life  and  labors  contributed 
much  to  the  strength,  purity,  spirituality  and  suc- 
cess of  the  Free  Methodist  church.  He  is  now  a 
'^pillar  in  the  temple  of  God,"  and  he  will  go  no 
more  out  forever. 

Rev.  C.  S.  Gitchell,  who  was  prominent  in  the 
early  history  of  the  church,  and  who  did  much  to 
establish  our  work  in  Michigan,  was  called  to  his 
reward  on  June  2Gth.  Brother  G.  was  one  of  the 
pioneers  of  the  church  who  set  aside  worldly  am- 
bitions and  was  ready  to  make  any  sacrifice  in- 
volved in  the  spread  of  scriptural  holiness.  Of  him 
it  may  well  be  said,  "He  was  a  good  man,  and  full 
of  the  Holy  Ghost  and  of  faith,  and  much  people 
was  added  unto  the  Lord"  through  his  instrumen- 
tality. 

Rev.  H.  Hornsby,  of  the  Genesee  conference; 
Professor  N.  J.  Davis,  of  Los  Angeles  Seminary ; 
E.  C.  Shipley,  a  prominent  laymen  of  the  Southern 
California  conference;  John  Romine,  for  many 
years  a  pillar  in  the  church  in  Southern  Michigan, 
among  others,  were  called  home  that  year. 


CHAPTER  XXXVIII. 


Early  in  January,  1908,  a  revival  broke  out  at 
Danville,  Michigan,  under  the  labors  of  Kev.  A.  E. 
Warren.  That  was  a  new  field  for  our  work,  there 
being  no  Free  Methodist  society  within  ten  miles. 
From  the  beginning  Satan's  forces  were  arrayed 
against  the  work;  but  God  honored  the  efforts  of 
His  faithful  servant  and  a  goodly  number  were 
saved,  the  majority  of  whom  were  men  and  women 
in  middle  life.  A  society  of  thirty  members  was 
organized,  with  others  looking  toward  the  Free 
Methodist  church  for  a  home.  A  fine  brick  church 
was  purchased  and  our  work  thoroughly  estab- 
lished in  that  place.  I  was  privileged  to  spend  a 
few  days  with  the  new  society  in  connection  with 
the  dedication  of  the  church.  Sunday,  January 
12th,  was  one  of  the  most  stormy  da^s  of  the  sea- 
son. But  a  fine  audience  assembled.  God  was  with 
us,  and  the  house  was  dedicated  with  the  indebted- 
ness all  provided  for.  The  victory  of  the  Sabbath 
was  an  inspiration  to  the  saints  and  an  unanswer- 
able argument  against  the  enemies  of  vital  godli- 
ness in  that  vicinity. 

On  March  17,  1908,  I  made  the  following  entry  in 
my  diary:  "Took  10:45  a.  m.  train  for  Spring  Ar- 
bor, arriving  before  noon.  Am  entertained  at  Fa- 
ther Olmstead's.  His  son,  W.  B.,  is  here.  Seminary 
board  of  trustees  held  annual  meeting  this  after- 

297 


298 


LIFE  AND  LABORS  OF 


noon  and  evening.  Prosperous  year  reported  with 
good  spiritual  interest  among  tlie  students.  Pro- 
fessor Vincent  and  nearly  all  of  the  faculty  were 
engaged  for  another  year.  I  was  re-elected  presi- 
dent of  the  board.  The  school  is  doing  a  great  work 
in  molding  the  character  of  the  young  people  of  the 
church.'^ 

As  the  result  of  the  faithful  labors  of  Rev.  C.  H. 
Sage  and  wife,  the  first  Free  Methodist  church  of 
Port  Huron,  Michigan,  was  dedicated  May  24,  1908. 
The  completion  of  that  enterprise  marked  the 
closing  scene  of  an  active  ministerial  career.  Many 
had  hoped  that  Brother  S.  would  live  to  enjoy  the 
dedicatory  services,  but  God  ordered  otherwise 
and  he  passed  triumphantly  to  his  reward  a  few 
weeks  in  advance  of  that  occasion,  having  devoted 
thirty-seven  years  to  the  work  of  the  gospel  minis- 
try. The  weather  was  delightful,  congregations 
large,  and  the  presence  of  the  Master  made  the  serv- 
ices blessed  and  soul-inspiring.  Elder  S.  H.  Porter- 
field  was  in  charge  and  the  pastors  of  the  district 
were  present  and  rendered  efficient  service.  Sister 
Sage  succeeded  her  husband  as  pastor  at  the  new 
church,  and  God  continues  to  bless  and  strengthen 
the  work.  The  Lord  opened  the  way  for  our  people 
in  that  city  in  a  remarkable  manner,  and  there  is 
ground  for  hope  that  Port  Huron  will  yet  become 
the  hub  of  the  district. 

The  sad  news  of  the  death  of  Rev.  C.  B.  Ebey  on 
June  17,  1908,  brought  sorrow  to  the  entire 
church.  The  summons  came  without  warning,  but 
it  found  the  man  of  God  with  the  whole  armor  on, 
ready  to  depart  and  be  with  Christ.    Brother  E. 


lil'KTON  li.  JONES 


290 


had  been  identified  with  the  Free  Methodist  church 
for  thirty-five  years,  and  contributed  .nuch  to  the 
spread  of  pure  Methodism. 

One  by  one  the  noble  men  who  were  identified 
with  the  church  in  its  early  struggles  are  passinj^ 
away.  But  few  of  them  remain  on  the  field.  Hu- 
man life  is  short  and  eventful^  full  of  mingling  sun- 
shine and  shadows.  We  are  often  reminded  of  its 
frailty  and  brevity.  It  is  like  the  "weaver's  shut- 
tle" which  swiftly  flies  onward,  but  soon  completes 
its  mission.  As  to  the  Christian,  the  thought  that 
his  heart  will  soon  cease  its  pulsations  fires  his  soul 
with  visions  of  immortality,  and  inspires  him  with 
increased  devotion  to  God. 

On  July  29,  1908,  I  reached  the  Chittenango,  New 
York,  camp-ground.  The  meeting  was  in  charge  of 
Elder  J.  S.  Bradbrook,  who  seemed  anxious  that 
everything  should  move  in  the  Spirit.  At  the  first 
love-feast  on  the  ground  I  received  a  real  melting, 
comforting,  inspiring  blessing.  The  meeting  was 
decidedly  successful  throughout.  A  goodly  num- 
ber responded  to  every  altar  call.  Of  the  Saturday 
afternoon  service  I  made  the  following  note :  "Un- 
usually victorious  service.  Had  special  help  in 
preaching.  Twelve  or  fourteen  seekers  at  the  altar. 
A  man  ninety-nine  years  old  was  converted,  while 
near  him  knelt  a  little  girl  of  ten  years,  seeking  the 
Lord.  Several  young  ladies  were  blessedly  saved. 
Such  rejoicing  is  seldom  witnessed."  Sunday  was  a 
victorious  day.  A  goodly  number  of  seekers  re- 
ported victory.  I  greatly  appreciated  the  privilege 
of  worshiping  for  a  few  da.ys  with  the  pilgrims  of 
the  Susquehanna  conference.    Although  many  of 


300 


LIFE  AND  LABORS  OF 


the  original  Free  Methodists  of  Western  and  Cen- 
tral New  York  have  gone  to  their  reward,  others 
have  joined  the  ranks  who  are  pressing  the  battle 
along  gospel  lines. 

Among  my  list  of  conferences  for  1908  were  the 
Michigan  and  the  Ohio — the  former  my  home  con- 
ference, and  the  latter  one  of  which  I  formed  a  part 
at  its  organization.  Both  sessions  were  exceeding- 
ly interesting.  The  reports  of  the  preachers  indi- 
cated a  steady  growth  throughout  both  conferences 
and  a  firm  determination  to  press  the  battle  along 
original  lines.  The  great  need  to  qualify  the  -nin 
istry  and  laity  for  a  united  charge  on  the  entrench- 
ments of  Satan  is,  not  more  wealth,  not  more  logic, 
not  more  culture,  but  more  power  from  on  high. 
Human  agencies  alone  are  insufficient.  ''Not  by 
might,  nor  by  power,  but  by  my  Spirit,  saith  the 
Lord  of  hosts.'-  Rev.  H.  Montgomery,  having  been 
transferred  to  the  Michigan  conference,  was  ap- 
pointed to  Jackson,  my  home  charge. 

A  busy  place  was  14-16  North  May  street,  Chi- 
cago, October  13-22,  1908,  it  being  the  occasion  of 
the  annual  meetings  of  the  different  church  boards. 
Thirty-seven  ministers  and  laymen  were  present. 
repi»esenting  the  various  departments  of  church 
work.  At  that  annual  meeting  the  executive  com- 
mittee ordered  the  purchase  of  a  lot  on  the  corner 
of  Washington  boulevard  and  May  street,  Chicago, 
on  which  to  erect  a  new  publishing  house.  The  lo- 
cation is  ideal  and  the  new  building  now  erected 
thereon  is  an  honor  to  the  denomination. 

A  change  of  official  relations  of  a  nature  to  cre- 
ate deep  interest  took  place  at  that  time,  and  a 


BURTON  11.  JONES 


301 


feeling  of  sadness  settled  over  the  entire  church 
when  it  was  learned  that  Bishop  Edward  P.  Hart, 
on  account  of  advancing  age,  had  decided  to  retire 
from  active  service.  Thirty-four  years  of  faith- 
ful service  in  the  general  superintendency  had 
greatly  endeared  him  to  the  church.  In  his  retire- 
ment the  church  loses  from  its  executive  ranks  one 
of  its  most  loyal,  godly  and  successful  ministers. 
Ably  assisted  by  his  devoted  wife,  he  has  led  on  the 
hosts  of  the  Lord  and  been  instrumental  in  turning 
many  to  righteousness  who  will  one  day  shine  as 
stars  in  the  celestial  firmament. 

On  October  15th,  Rev.  William  Pearce,  a  district 
elder  in  the  Genesee  conference,  was  elected  bishop 
by  the  executive  committee,  to  fill  the  vacancy  oc- 
casioned by  the  resignation  of  Bishop  Hart.  For 
over  twenty-two  years  Brother  P.  has  been  actively 
engaged  in  the  Free  Methodist  ministry,  and  his 
election  to  the  bishopric  will  no  doubt  meet  the 
general  approval  of  the  church. 

Of  a  short  visit  at  Greenville,  Hlinois,  in  Novem- 
ber, 1908,  I  made  the  following  note :  "Put  in  full 
day  at  G — .  Preached  in  the  church  at  10:30  a.  m. 
and  at  7:30  p.  m.,  and  in  the  college  auditorium  at 
3  p.  m.  Had  a  good  day  all  around.  Large  audi- 
ences. Good  spirit.  The  word  appeared  to  be  an 
inspiration  to  the  saints.  Fine  class  of  young  peo- 
ple at  the  college.  This  is  a  great  field  for  doing 
work  for  the  Master.  The  college  is  prospering 
under  the  management  of  President  Burritt.  My 
daughter  Mabel,  and  her  husband  are  doing  well 
in  their  respective  departments.  Entertained  at 
Brother  Graham's." 


CHAPTER  XXXIX. 


In  The  Free  Methodist  of  February  5,  1907,  my 
mother's  last  printed  testimony  appeared  as  fol- 
lows : 

"Eleanor  S.  Jones,  Jackson,  Michigan. — I  am  nearly 
eighty-eight  years  of  age  and  have  been  a  reader  of  The 

Free  Methodist  ever  since 
its  first  issue  by  Rev.  Levi 
Wood.  I  was  a  member  of 
the  first  Free  Methodist  so- 
ciety organized  by  Rev.  Asa 
Abel  at  Greigsville,  New 
York,  in  1864.  Brother  Wil- 
liam McBurney  and  I  are 
the  only  surviving  members 
of  the  original  society.  I 
have  been  identified  with  the 
timrch  ever  since. 

"We  came  to  Michigan  in 
1870,  soon  after  my  son  Bur- 
ton took  his  first  appoint- 
ment in  the  Michigan  confer- 
ence. My  husband  was  taken 
to  his  eternal  reward  in  1887, 
and  for  some  wise  purpose,  I  trust,  I  am  permitted  to  re- 
main on  earth.  The  conflict  has  been  long  and  fierce,  but 
the  Lord  has  graciously  sustained  me.  I  am  still  trusting 
in  Him  and  expect  in  due  time  to  meet  my  Savior  and 
loved  ones  in  the  land  of  eternal  sunshine.  Amen." 

Our  dear  mother  departed  this  life  at  Carlton, 
Michigan,  September  17,  1908,  being  in  the  90th  year 


302 


BURTON  K.  JONES 


303 


of  her  age.  Seven  children,  sixteen  grandchildren 
and  thirteen  great-grandchildren,  together  with 
many  friends  shared  in  the  general  sorrow.  She 
was  respected  and  loved  by  all.  Mother  was  con- 
verted at  Greigsville,  New  York,  in  1855,  in  a  meet- 
ing held  by  the  now  sainted  Kev.  William  C  Ken 
dall,  and  nniteJ  with  the  Methodist  Episcopal 
church.  Together  with  her  husband  she  took  a  de- 
cided stand  amid  the  great  moral  conflict  that  was 
raging  in  Western  New  York  in  the  middle  of  the 
nineteenth  century  between  the  advocates  of  pure 
Methodism  and  the  allied  forces  of  formalism  and 
worldliness.  They  were  in  full  sympathy  with  the 
principles  and  purposes  of  the  Free  Methodist 
movement  and  were  ready  to  make  the  sacrifice  and 
suffer  the  reproach  involved  in  a  life  of  devotion  to 
a  pure  Christianity. 

On  removing  to  Michigan  in  1870  they  continued 
their  relations  with  the  Free  Methodist  church,  be- 
coming identified  with  the  society  near  Burr  Oak, 
and  later  near  Hastings,  remaining  loyal  and  true 
members  of  the  latter  society  until  transferred  to 
the  church  triumphant.  The  death  of  her  husband 
cast  a  dark  shadow  over  the  life  of  our  dear  mother, 
but  God  graciously  sustained  her.  She  was  a  faith- 
ful and  affectionate  wife  and  mother,  a  kind  friend 
and  neighbor.  She  was  ready  for  the  final  sum- 
mons. She  had  fought  the  good  fight,  kept  the 
faith  and  finished  her  course  in  peace.  Mother  is 
forever  at  rest. 


CHAPTER  XL. 


The  opening  of  the  new  year  affords  opportunity 
for  taking  retrospective  and  prospective  views  of 
life.  We  look  back  and  see  many  reasons  to  praise 
God  for  His  merciful  dealings.  AW  the  true  joy  we 
have  experienced  has  been  in  Him.  Of  time  illy 
spent  and  opportunities  unimproved  there  is  occa- 
sion for  regret.  The  ideal  life  has  been  marred 
for  want  of  foresight  and  prayerful  consideration. 
But  important  lessons  may  be  learned  from  the 
mistakes  of  the  past.  Where  we  failed  once  we 
should  guard  against  repeated  failure.  The  incom 
ing  year  will  afford  many  opportunities  for  self-im- 
provement and  for  doing  good  to  others.  The  life 
filled  with  acts  of  kindness,  deeds  of  charity,  and 
works  for  the  Master,  is  relieved  of  much  of  its  sor- 
row and  bitterness.  All  mysteries  should  be  left 
with  God  to  solve  in  His  own  time. 

During  the  first  week  in  January,  1909,  I  entered 
upon  my  evangelistic  labors  for  the  year,  beginning 
with  a  holiness  convention  at  Yale,  Michigan,  El- 
der S.  H.  Porterfield  in  charge,  followed  by  a  four 
days'  meeting  at  Henning,  Illinois,  U.  S.  Ferguson, 
pastor;  and  a  holiness  convention  at  Saginaw, 
Michigan,  in  charge  of  Elder  F.  J.  Calkins.  At 
each  of  these  gatherings  the  Lord  was  pleased  to 
pour  out  His  Spirit,  some  being  more  productive  of 
immediate  results  than  others. 


304 


BURTON  K.  JONES 


305 


February  19-21  found  me  very  pleasantly  asso- 
ciated with  an  earnest  company  of  (lod's  elect  at 
Hites,  l*ennsy]vania.  Elder  J.  F.  Silver  had  gen- 
eral charge  of  atfaiis,  aided  by  Pastor  C.  I.  Schro- 
der. Uncer  the  direction  of  the  pastor  a  neat,  com- 
modious church  had  been  erected  and  the  time  for 
dedication  had  arrived.  All  the  pastors  of  the  dis- 
trict and  quite  a  number  of  the  laymen  were  pres- 
ent. The  Holy  Spirit  came  on  the  saints  at  the 
first  service,  and  the  tide  of  salvation  continued  to 
rise  at  each  succeeding  service.  A  number  responded 
to  every  altar  call,  several  of  whom  were  saved  and 
sanctified.  At  times  the  audience  was  so  affected 
as  to  be  unable  to  restrain  their  feelings  and  found 
relief  in  tears  and  shouts  of  praise.  The  sugges- 
tion of  an  indebtedness  of  |1,200  did  not  stagger 
the  faith  of  the  people  and  in  a  short  time  it  was 
all  provided  for  and  the  church  presented  to  God, 
ever  to  be  known  as  a  ''house  of  prayer." 

On  arriving  at  Durand,  Michigan,  February 
26th,  I  found  the  pastor,  W.  H.  lies,  wearied  with 
the  labors  and  cares  of  a  seven  weeks'  meeting.  The 
struggle  had  been  severe  at  times,  and  conditions 
were  such  as  required  the  most  skilful  management 
to  avoid  the  rocks  that  threatened  the  safe  passage 
of  the  gospel  ship.  Different  ones,  apparently  am- 
bitious for  leadership,  under  the  pretense  of  su- 
perior piety,  had  sought  to  disrupt  the  society, 
hoping  on  the  ruins  thereof  to  establish  a  new 
order  of  things.  But  under  divine  guidance  Broth- 
er lies  had  led  the  little  company  of  faithful  ones 
on  to  steadily  increasing  victories.  The  special 
services  closed  with  a  most  excellent  holiness  con- 


30G 


LIFE  AND   LABORS  OF 


vention.  Elder  DeVoist  was  to  have  had  charge  of 
the  convention,  but  sickness  prevented  his  attend- 
ance. 

The  divine  presence  attended  every  service,  and 
several  waiting  hearts  received  their  pentecost. 
Sunday  was  a  victorious  day.  Two  married  women 
were  blessedly  reclaimed.  A  man  eight-one  years 
old,  formerly  a  minister  of  the  gospel,  having  beeif 
backslidden  for  twenty-five  years,  was  graciously 
restored.  Several  persons  who  were  present  and 
prayed  for  him  had  been  converted  under  his  la- 
bors years  before.  The  scene  was  very  affecting, 
and  the  saints  could  but  rejoice.  Several  persons 
will  have  reason  to  thank  God  in  eternity  that  they 
were  privileged  to  attend  the  convention.  The 
work  at  Durand  was  never  in  a  more  encouraging 
state  than  at  the  time  of  this  writing. 

Early  in  March,  1909,  I  stepped  off  the  train  at 
Coldwater,  Michigan.  Forty-one  and  one-half  years 
had  elapsed  since  I  first  landed  in  that  city  and  be- 
gan my  career  as  a  Free  Methodist  minister.  Mem- 
ories of  the  past  crowded  in  upon  my  mind.  I 
thought  of  the  early  days  when  I  was  commonly 
spoken  of  as  ''Burtie  Jones,  the  boy  preacher,"  and 
of  the  good  pilgrims  whose  patient  forbearance  and 
victorious  faith  contributed  so  much  to  my  success 
in  the  work  of  God.  Those  shining  faces  and 
hearty  responses  were  inspiring  to  me. 

Remarkable  changes  have  taken  place  since  those 
early  days.  The  city  has  greatly  enlarged  its  bor- 
ders. The  old  Tinkham  residence,  which  was  my 
first  circuit  home,  has  wasted  almost  beyond  recog- 
nition.   Of  the  original  members  of  the  church  in 


BURTON  R.  JONES 


307 


that  vieiuity  John  Palmatier,  Harriet  Zellar 
(mother  of  Peter  and  Stei)hen),  Charles  and  Ann 
Kawson  still  remain  on  Ihe  fiehl.  Of  the  greater 
number  it  may  be  said,  "-'God  hath  taken  them." 
But  to  my  <»reat  satisfaction  1  learned  that  a  f>ood 
ly  number  of  the  descendants  of  the  fathers  and 
mothers  had  been  saved  and  become  pillars  in  the 
church. 

During  my  pastorate  there  we  occupied  the  Wes- 
leyan  Methodist  church  for  our  preaching  services, 
but  now  our  people  have  a  fine,  commodious 
church  of  their  own  and  a  good  parsonage.  The 
Lord  has  graciously  blessed  the  work.  I  greatly 
appreciated  the  privilege  of  spending  a  few  days 
there  in  sacred  service.  Sunday  was  a  precious 
day,  several  being  set  free.  The  pastor,  J.  G.  An 
derson,  continued  the  meetings,  expecting  to 
achieve  still  greater  victories. 

A  few  weeks  later,  by  invitation  of  the  pastor, 
W.  C.  Mufiitt,  we  spent  a  Sabbath  with  the  church 
at  Kalamazoo,  Michigan.  The  weather  was  ideal 
and  a  large,  interested  audience  gathered  at  each 
service.  During  the  pastorate  of  F.  L.  Baker  a  fine 
church  edifice,  in  a  very  accessible  location,  was 
dedicated  and  the  society  greatly  strengthened. 
Since  Brother  M.  took  charge  of  the  work  a  com- 
fortable parsonage  has  been  completed  and  the 
church  has  steadily  increased  in  membership  and 
spirituality.  Kalamazoo  is  now  one  of  the  most 
inviting  and  promising  pastorates  in  the  Michigan 
conference.  I  suggested  to  the  pastor  that  he  ex 
change  fields  with  me,  but  he  assured  me  that  he 


3C8 


LIFE  AND   LABORS  OF 


had  no  ambitions  in  that  direction,  and  was  well 
satisfied  with  his  present  charge. 

On  the  forty-fourth  anniversary  of  my  conver- 
sion I  made  the  following  record : 

"Home,  March  10,  1009.  On  this,  the  forty- 
fourth  anniversary  of  my  conversion  to  God,  I  can 
look  back  over  a  long  record  of  miracles  whereby 
He  has  kept  me  true  and  clean  and  upright;  but  in 
God  alone  was  the  power  and  to  Him  shall  be  the 
glory.  'By  the  grace  of  God  I  am  what  I  am.' 
Where,  what  would  I  have  been  to-day  had  I  not 
made  choice  of  God?  Echo  answers.  Where? 
What?  Representing  the  most  exalted  profession 
known  to  mankind — the  gospel  ministry — exercised 
by  an  earnest  desire  for  the  salvation  of  souls  and 
the  upbuilding  of  the  church  of  Christ,  I  am  neap- 
ing the  close  of  the  forty-second  year  of  active  serv- 
ice in  the  Master's  vineyard,  not  having  been  laid 
aside  a  single  year. 

''Having  been  somewhat  frail  in  my  early  life.  He 
who  is  'too  wise  to  err'  must  have  had  some  gra- 
cious purpose  in  my  preservation.  And  as  I  near 
the  allotted  tinie  of  human  life  I  still  delight  my- 
self in  the  Lord  and  He  gives  me  the  desire  of  my 
heart.  I  expect  my  end  will  be  peace  and  my  in- 
heritance everlasting  life.  I  hope  to  have  a  few 
trophies  of  grace  to  present  to  the  Master.  Those 
whom  the  ambassador  of  the  cross  has  been  instru- 
mental in  winning  to  Christ  will  be  his  'crown  of 
rejoicing,'  his  'glory  and  joy,'  in  the  great  eternal 
day.  I  can  conceive  of  no  greater  joy  than  that  of 
the  servant  of  God  being  able  in  the  great  day  to 
appear  before  the  Infinite  One  with  those  whom  he 


BURTON  R.  JONES  309 

has  rescued  from  sin  and  death,  saving,  ^Beliold, 
I  and  the  children  whom  Thou  hast  given  me.'  " 

A  brief  account  of  a  few  special  services  will 
bring  this  narrative  down  to  June  15,  1909 : 

By  invitation  of  Elder  G.  A.  Anderson,  I  made 
a  short  visit  to  the  Burlington  and  Fairfield  dis- 
tricts, Iowa  conference.  On  arriving  at  Burling- 
ton June  2d,  I  was  met  by  the  pastor,  C.  L.  Man- 
ning, and  my  old  friend.  Rev.  E.  E.  Hall,  with  whom 
I  have  enjoyed  some  precious  seasons  in  the  work 
of  the  Lord.  Though  past  his  threescore  years 
and  ten  he  is  still  vigorous  and  active.  My  first 
appointment  was  at  South  Hill  where  in  1882  I 
was  privileged  to  meet  a  noble  body  of  holy  men 
and  women  in  general  conference  assembled.  The 
service  at  this  point  was  impressive  and  profitable, 
although  but  few  of  the  original  society  remain. 

At  North  Hill  I  shared  in  an  interesting  service 
the  following  evening.  The  absence  of  Brother 
John  Burg,  a  former  pillar  of  that  society,  was 
noticeable.  But  God  is  with  His  people  there  and 
the  banner  of  the  cross  is  still  kept  unfurled. 

On  June  4th  I  made  my  first  visit  to  the  church 
at  Fairfield,  Iowa,  preaching  in  the  afternoon  and 
at  night.  A  good  spiritual  atmosphere  pervaded 
the  house  of  God  and  it  was  a  pleasure  to  stand 
where  so  many  of  the  fathers  of  the  church  have 
stood  and  preach  the  word  of  life.  I  was  warmly 
entertained  at  the  home  of  Brother  and  Sister  L. 
Mendenhall,  who  are  well  known  throughout  the 
Iowa  conference  and  adjoining  territory. 

June  5-8  I  spent  with  the  society  at  Ottumwa, 
where  in  1906  I  dedicated  a  new  church  to  the  wor- 


310 


LIFE  AND  LABORS  OF 


ship  of  God.  Elder  Anderson  and  the  pastor,  T. 
M.  Fenwick,  were  untiring  in  their  efforts  to  in- 
sure the  success  of  the  occasion.  Several  ministers 
and  members  were  present  from  adjoining  circuits, 
and  inspiring  audiences  met  us  at  every  service. 
The  Lord  of  hosts  was  with  us. 

In  the  spring  of  1908  a  cyclone  swept  over  east- 
ern Nebraska,  uprooting  trees  and  wrecking  build 
ings  in  its  course.  The  Free  Methodist  church  at 
Louisville  was  torn  from  its  foundation  and  left 
upside  down  a  few  feet  distant.  Having  faith  in 
the  God  who  overrules  every  providence  for  the 
good  of  His  people,  the  society  at  L —  proceeded  to 
clear  away  the  wreck  and  place  the  building  on  a 
surer  foundation.  June  10-13  was  the  date  fixed 
for  the  holiness  convention  and  dedication  of  the 
reconstructed  church.  Elder  E.  E.  Hatfield  had 
charge  of  the  services  and  was  untiring  in  his  ef 
forts  to  ''strengthen  the  things  that  remain."  The 
attendance  of  several  of  the  ministers  and  mem- 
bers of  adjoining  circuits  added  much  to  the  in- 
terest and  success  of  the  occasion.  Three  interest- 
ing services  were  held  on  Sunday,  the  dedication 
taking  place  in  the  afternoon.  The  society  was 
greatly  encouraged  and  we  hope  to  hear  of  stead- 
il3^  increasing  interest  in  the  work  of  God  at  Louis- 
ville. That  was  the  one  hundred  sixty-fourth  Free 
Methodist  church  I  have  been  privileged  to  dedi- 
cate. 


CHAPTER  XLI, 


In  tracing  the  lines  along  which  God  has  led  me 
I  have  often  felt  to  exclaim,  "O  the  depth  of  the 
riches  both  of  the  wisdom  and  knowledge  of  God! 
How  unsearchable  are  His  judgments  and  His  ways 
past  finding  out !"  Thus  far  God  has  led  me  by  re- 
markable providences  heavenward.  My  way  at 
times  has  seemed  strangely  beset  with  difficulties, 
and  in  looking  toward  the  future  it  appeared  for 
bidding;  but  trusting  in  the  Lord  the  obstacles 
were  removed,  the  clouds  lifted  and  the  rugged  way 
made  plain. 

That  I  have  formed  a  strong  attachment  to  the 
church  which  was  the  chosen  agency  in  my  salva- 
tion, and  with  which  I  have  been  associated  in  gos- 
jjel  work  for  nearly  forty-five  years,  is  not  at  all 
surprising.  Nor  is  it  strange  that  I  should  feel  a 
deep  interest  in  her  future  welfare.  Free  Method 
ism,  originating  in  an  ''extraordinary  dispensation 
of  providence,"  merits  steadily  increasing  progress, 
and  ever}'  loyal  member  of  the  church  loves  to  note 
the  success  of  the  principles  she  represents.  Be- 
lieving those  principles  to  be  founded  on  the  Word 
of  God  we  have  no  doubt  of  their  ultimate  triumph ; 
and  it  is  inspiring  to  our  faith  to  note  the  advance- 
ment already  made. 

The  progress  made  by  the  church  in  building 
schools  and  establishing  missions  and  otherwise  ex- 

311 


31J 


LIFE  AND  LAB0K8  OF 


tending  the  work  is  largely  attributable  to  her  clear 
light  on  the  subject  of  personal  consecration.  It 
is  not  the  purpose  of  the  people  of  God  to  hoard 
wealth  and  live  for  themselves  alone.  The  religion 
of  Jesus  Christ  is  unselfish  and  requires  its  sub- 
jects to  live  for  others.  There  is  more  than  mere 
sentiment  in  the  song  so  often  sung : 

''Not  for  ease  or  worldly  pleasure. 
Nor  for  fame  uiy  prayer  shall  be; 
Gladly  will  I  toil  and  sufifer. 
Only  let  me  walk  with  thee." 

Thousands  of  precious  souls  have  been  saved  and 
sanctified  through  the  instrumentality  of  the  Free 
Methodist  church,  and  the  gospel  leaven  is  still 
working.  Onward  must  be  her  course,  and  her 
light  will  shine  with  increasing  brilliancy  as  she 
follows  in  the  footsteps  of  the  Master.  The  church 
must  be  kept  pure.  She  must  live  under  the  illu- 
minating, energizing,  sanctifying  power  of  th'i 
Holy  Spirit  in  the  great  struggle  against  the 
mighty  current  of  worldly  influence  that  surrounds 
her.  Along  the  line  of  formality  and  worldliness 
lies  her  greatest  danger.  It  is  this  that  has  par- 
alyzed the  faith  of  the  Christian  church  in  different 
ages  and  prevented  her  putting  on  her  full  strength. 

There  is  evidently  a  fixed  purpose  throughout 
the  denomination  to  stand  firmly  by  the  principles 
of  her  calling,  the  least  departure  therefrom  being 
reproved  in  a  manner  indicating  a  jealous  concern 
for  the  preservation  of  the  church.  The  greatest 
power  of  the  Christian  church — Bible  holiness — 
must  not  become  a  dead  letter  in  our  theology.  If 


HUUTOX   11.  JOXKS 


313 


it  does  Ootl  will  raise  up  another  people  to  preach 
it  and  to  exemplify  it. 

The  achievements  of  the  last  half  century  have 
not  been  accomplished  without  opposition,  and  oc- 
casional forebodings.  God  has  seemed  to  hide  His 
face  at  times,  only  to  reveal  it  again  in  greatei' 
beauty  and  brilliancy.  And  as  He  has  brought 
light  out  of  darkness  and  victory  out  of  apparent 
defeat,  doubts  and  misgivings  have  vanished  and 
the  work  has  taken  on  a  newer  and  brighter  aspect. 

The  Free  Methodist  church  has  reached  a  very 
important  crisis  in  her  history.  Her  God-honored 
founder  has  fallen.  Those  who  were  actively  iden- 
tified with  the  church  in  her  early  struggles  are 
rapidly  passing  away  and  her  interests  are  falling 
under  the  management  of  a  younger  generation. 
They  are  to  be  the  trusted  conservators  of  the 
church  and  the  leaders  of  the  hosts  of  Israel.  God 
grant  that  the  high  standard  of  spiritual  life  that 
has  characterized  the  church  thus  far  may  be  faith- 
fully maintained. 

It  is  vitally  important  that  those  who  are  called 
to  assume  such  grave  responsibilities  be  men  of 
deep  piety  and  sound  principles.  The  fathers 
planted  themselves  squarely  on  the  issue  of  Scrip- 
tural holiness.  That  issue  is  no  less  important  to- 
day. True  holiness  is  the  life  of  the  church.  And 
the  church  that  is  loyal  to  that  doctrine — whose 
ministers  preach  it  and  whose  members  live  it- 
God  will  honor  with  steadily  increasing  prosperity. 
The  Free  Methodist  church  has  ever  been  thorough- 
ly Scriptural  in  her  teaching  on  the  subject,  and 


LIFE  AND  LABORS  OF 


thousands  of  her  members  are  living  witnesses  to 
the  power  of  God  to  save  to  the  uttermost. 

The  growth  of  the  church  in  deep,  earnest,  true 
piety  depends  largely  upon  the  devotion  and  faith- 
fulness of  her  ministry.  Their  life,  labors  and 
teaching  are  important  factors  in  molding  the  char- 
acter of  the  membership.  So  long  as  the  ministry 
keeps  humble,  spiritual  and  God-fearing  the  cause 
must  prosper.  Proud,  flippant,  self-conceited,  fun- 
loving  preachers,  however  talented,  are  not  yet  in 
demand  in  the  Free  Methodist  church.  Thus  may 
it  ever  remain. 

It  should  be  borne  in  mind,  however,  that  while 
principles  are  immutable,  conditions  may  vary.  The 
precedent  of  the  fathers  may  not  in  every  case  be 
suited  to  present  conditions.  Exercised  by  a  con- 
suming anxiety  to  agree  with  the  fathers  the  ques- 
tion is  often  asked,  "What  would  Wesley  have 
done?"  or,  "What  would  Roberts  have  done?"  Re- 
gard for  precedent  simply  because  it  is  precedent 
is  not  always  wise.  Every  one  should  aim  to  do 
in  any  given  situation  what  is  right.  If  any  policy 
previously  adopted  conflicts  with  what  now  seems 
wise  and  right  that  policy  should  cease  to  govern. 
If  what  the  fathers  laid  down  as  a  course  of  action 
suits  present  conditions,  by  all  means  adopt  it.  If 
Wesley's  policies  fit  a  situation,  adopt  them — not 
simply  because  Wesley  said  so,  but  because  it  is 
right.  Hold  close  to  the  Word  of  God.  Let  that 
be  the  standard  of  right  moral  conditions  and  con- 
duct. 

A  great  field  of  usefulness  lies  before  the  church. 
If  she  keeps  humble  and  endued  from  on  high  her 


BUKTON   R.  JONES 


315 


future  record  may  be  far  more  glorious  than  her 
past.  The  honor  which  God  bestows  upon  those 
who  honor  Him  will  continue  forever.  The  crown 
with  which  He  will  deck  the  brow  of  the  faithful 
in  the  great  day  will  sparkle 

"While  life,  or  thought,  or  being  lasts, 
Or  immortality  endures." 

"Now  the  God  of  peace,  that  brought  again  from 
the  dead  our  Lord  Jesus,  that  great  Shepherd 
of  the  sheep,  through  the  blood  of  the  everlast- 
ing covenant,  make  you  perfect  in  every  good  work 
to  do  His  will,  working  in  you  that  which  is  well- 
pleasing  in  His  sight,  through  Jesus  Christ;  to 
whom  be  glory  for  ever  and  ever.  Amen." 


CHAPTER  XLII. 


SUMMARY 

Born  in  Western  New  York.  December  3,  1845. 
Converted  at  Greigsville,  New  York,  in  1856. 
Reclaimed,  March  10,  1865. 
Sanctified  wholly,  March  13,  1865. 
United  with  the  Free  Methodist  church  in  1865. 
lieceived  license  to  exhort,  August  18,  1866. 
Tcok  first  circuit  in  September,  1867. 
lieceived  local  preacher's  license.  Januarv  18,  1868. 
Received  on  trial  in  Michigan  conference,  September, 
1868. 

Received  in  full  connection  in  conference  and  ordained 
deacon.  October  2,  1870. 

Solemnized  first  marriage  ceremony.  February  8,  1871. 

Conducted  first  pabtisnial  service.  .June  30.  1871. 

Ordained  elder  at  Delta.  Ohio,  September  29,  1872. 

First  elected  traveling  chairman  in  1874. 

Average  annual  salary  for  first  seven  years  of  minis- 
try, $290. 

Elected  editor  of  The  Free  Methodiat  in  1890. 

Served  as  pastor  fifteen  years,  evangelist  one  year,  sta- 
tioned chairman  three  years,  traveling  chairman  ten  years. 
Held  475  quarterly  meetings.  Taught  in  Spring  Arbor 
Seminary  two  years. 

First  elected  general  superintendent  in  1894. 

Have  presided  at  140  annual  conference  sessions ;  or- 
dained 155  elders,  160  deacons;  dedicated  164  churches; 
attended  345  camp-meetings  and  forty  holiness  conventions. 

Preached  7.003  times.  Crossed  the  continent  ten  times. 
Traveled  since  elected  general  superintendent,  188,175 
miles. 


316 


